Bitter Victory
by StanfordBound2020
Summary: Jessica's been arrested, and it seems as though Rose and the gang's problems are all over. But Jessica seems to have one final trick up her sleeve. Can Rose and her friends put a stop to her manipulative tactics or will they all crash and burn in the backlash? (NOTE: You must read Fall From Grace and Frosty Connections to understand this story)
1. Be There For You? Always

**So I've been thinking about the main couples in my past two stories and what good songs would fit them best.**

 **Rose and Ace (Acose)**

 **Paper Planes (suggested by BlackCanary98)**

 **Best Thing I Never Knew I Needed**

 **It Girl**

 **Every Time We Touch**

 **Shape of You**

 **Uma and Ava (Ama/ Uva)** **I Kissed A Girl**

 **If You Seek Amy**

 **So What** **Focus**

 **Me Too**

 **Every Time We Touch**

 **Miracle**

 **Aiden and Jessica- They're dead, I swear! (Jessden)**

 **Love The Way You Lie (suggested by BlackCanary98)**

 **Troublemaker**

 **Bad Blood**

 **I Hate U**

 **I Hate You I Love You**

 **Grenade**

 **I Hate Everything About You**

 **Stitches**

 **Black Widow**

 **Cannibal**

 **Aiden and Jay (Jayden)**

 **As Long as You Love Me (suggested by BlackCanary98)**

 **Let Me Love You**

 **Treat You Better**

 **Locked Away**

 **Every Time We Touch**

 **I Kissed a Boy**

 **Enchanted**

Jason's POV

It's freezing out here and if I don't get my boyfriend some help, he's a goner. My teeth grind with anger as I think about what Jessica did to Aiden moments before she was arrested. How he tried to get away from her but she slammed his head into the wall, a crazed look in her eyes. I hope he doesn't have a concussion. It's never a good idea for the victim to be asleep if he has a concussion. If there's one thing good about my dad, it's that I have some life-saving medical knowledge.

Blood continues to drip between my fingers, soaking his jet black hair.

"Stay with me, Aiden," I plead, pulling his hoodie over his head to try to staunch the bleeding. I hustle more than ever to find the nearest shelter, but everywhere I go, I get blocked at the door. Some tell me they're full, others tell me they don't want a liability on their hands. One recognized me from the newspaper and said they didn't want "my kind" here. Well, fuck you too, my boyfriend's dying and you transphobic idiots won't let me help him. I'm trying to keep it together, but when I'm all alone and the sun starts to set, I begin to feel hopeless. A small sob escapes me. He could be gone for all I know and nobody freaking cares! I furiously kick a nearby trashcan repeatedly. Someone's hand grips my shoulder. I whirl around and come face to face with a familiar face.

"Shane?!"

"No, it's Britney, Bitch," Shane laughs, before becoming sober. "And you're disturbing the neighbors."

"Who cares?" I scowl. "I've lost everything because people can't accept who I am and who I love. I might even lose my crush of 10 years. Why should I care?"

"Let me guess," Shane says. "You got kicked out of your home."

"How did you know?" I ask.

"I've seen this too many times. I'm thankful I've got a mother and grandmother who still love me even though I'm bi. But majority of kids like me and you aren't so lucky...Come with me, I want to show you something," he says, gesturing for me to follow him. We enter a cozy building where a bunch of children of all ages go in and out.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"My grandma owns a shelter for LGBTQ youth. She houses as many people as she can. She's rich, and she's using it to help the needy. I'm so proud of my Nana," Shane says.

"Do you think she can help Aiden?" I say tearfully. I fill him in on everything that's happened on the past month. Shane takes a look at him.

"Hmm...he looks pretty bad, but hopefully Nana can work her magic again. Put him on the couch and I'll see if she's around."

I place him on the couch with him draped over my lap away from the other kids and wait for what seems like hours. A girl with a frilly skirt and blouse gets on the couch next to me.

"Is he your boyfriend?" She asks, pointing to Aiden.

"Yeah…"

"Are you sad because he's hurt?" she asks again.

"Yeah…"

"My boyfriend got hurt too. People tell me he's in a better place now. I wish I could go with him."

"How old are you?!"

"I'm twelve."

"Well, a pretty 12 year old girl should be in school studying instead of chasing silly boys."

"No," she protests. "I don't need school. My boyfriend always said I was pretty, even though other people made fun of us for it?"

"Why would they make fun of you?"

"Because they say I'm a boy even though I'm not," she says, and I instantly understand where she's coming from.

"Well, your boyfriend had good taste," I say, patting her on the shoulders. "Hey, if it makes you feel any better, people say that I'm a girl even though I'm totally a boy."

"Oh," she sounds disappointed.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you know Shane?"

"Yeah. He brought me here."

"Well, he's been like an older brother to me since I left home...actually, he's my cousin but….he kinda sucks at doing nails and having tea parties and stuff like that."

I'm just looking at this small child, so innocent...already hated by the world because of who she is. Plus, I saw a little bit of my sisters in her.

"Well...I grew up with a bunch of sisters, so I'm pretty much an expert at stuff like this. I wouldn't mind doing those things with you," I offer. Her face lights up as she grins.

"Really? You would?"

"Sure," I answer, and for a moment I swear I see Aiden smiling at me. "What's your name?"

"Summer."

"Ok, Summer, what color do you want you nails?"

Before long, Summer's nails are painted with dazzling flames and we're sitting at a small table with little plastic cups filled with grape juice. When Shane walks in with his grandmother and sees us, he starts laughing. His grandmother smacks the back of his head.

"Ignore my grandson, dearie. I love him to death, but I swear he can be a real fool sometimes," she says.

"Sorry, Nana," Shane chuckles. "It's just so funny how quickly Summer got Jason to paint her nails for her and have a tea party with her."

Summer pouts and sticks her tongue at Shane, who just laughs and ruffles her hair.

"Now," Shane's grandmother continues. "Let me take a look at that poor fellow on the couch over there...Hmph! I can't imagine the kind of sick person who would do such a thing to him."

"I can," I mumble, but Shane's grandmother doesn't hear me as she tends to Aiden.

"Well," she says after an agonizing silence. "Do you want the good news first or the bad news?"

"The...bad news?"

"Based on what I've heard, the bruises he sustained to his body will heal with no incident, but he took a pretty nasty hit to the head. If he wakes up….no, when he wakes up, he may suffer some memory loss," she tells me. I gasp.

"Does that mean he won't remember me at all?" I momentarily panic, thinking that all the passion, all the heartache we'd suffered would have gone down the toilet.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll still recognize you, but he may have a hard time remembering how he got here in the first place. Let me know when he wakes up," she says, walking away with Shane. "Shane, come help me make dinner. You too, Summer."

No sooner do they leave I completely break down. My tears stream down my face and drop over Aiden's unconscious body. There's no one around and Aiden obviously couldn't see or hear me cry, so I didn't care.

"I'm so sorry I let this happen to you Aiden," I whisper. "I promised Rose I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you anymore and yet here we are."

I reach out and hold his hand.

"I'd do anything to see you open your soft eyes again," I sob quietly.

Suddenly, I feel his hands move and grip mine. I look up and see Aiden looking back at me. Instantly, I ambush him with hugs and kisses. Aiden reddens immediately, but doesn't say anything. He looks confused and absolutely terrified.

"Aiden...you don't remember what happened this morning do you?" I ask.

He shakes his head, then winces from the pain.

"Yeah, you sustained a head injury when Jessica-"

Instantly he stiffens and withdraws from me, shivering. Tentatively, I place a hand on his trembling arm. One way or another, I was gonna have to get Aiden to tell me the whole story between him and Jessica soon.

"It's ok, babe. She won't hurt you anymore. She was arrested recently," I say softly.

Aiden stops shaking and glances up at me in suspicion.

"I'm serious. Why aren't you talking?"

"B-because she'd kill me if I…" he mumbles very quietly. "...forget it. Forget I said anything."

"Wait… how much do you remember?"

"More than I'd like to," he admits. "The last thing I remember was Jessica slamming my head into the wall and you coming over to help me. Everything else is just a blur. Oh my God...why does she think I called the police on her???"

"I don't know, babe," I say, hugging him as if he'd slip away if I'd let go. "I could've prevented this.I shouldn't have left you out of sight with you being injured. If I hadn't kissed you back at my house, you wouldn't even be injured in the first place. I'm so sorry…"

"Doesn't matter," Aiden says, laying his head on my chest. "You're here now."

"Are you still willing to testify Aiden?" I ask. Aiden frowns.

"I...I don't know. A part of me want to make sure Jessica can never do this to people again...but another part of me is terrified at the thought of seeing her again and reliving everything I've been through. It's times like these where I wish I carried my trumpet or piano with me right now…"

I can tell Aiden's starting to withdraw again. There has to be something to convince him to still testify...That gives me an idea. Without further prompting, I start to hum Aiden's favorite song to him. A hint of a smile plays on his lips. This makes me hum a little louder, my lips barely centimeters from his neck. This time, he smiles and starts to turn a little red.

"Feeling better now?" I ask him.

"Y-yeah," he stammers. "How did you know that was my favorite song?"

"Rose told me. She really wants to see you happy. So do I. I've heard you haven't been able to do the things you love in a long time. Now you're going to have that chance again. I promise."

"Know what, Jay? I'll do it. I'm still gonna testify. Call Rose and the others. We're going to trial," he says, squeezing my hand. "And we're going to win."

Rose's POV

"Tonight, Jessica Nguyen, daughter of billionaire and CEO William Nguyen, has been arrested on counts of attempted murder and domestic violence. Police say…"

I feel light headed with relief. Ace grips my hand, bringing me back to reality. All around me, Ava and Wes are cheering, Ross smirks victoriously while Addison smiles faintly.

"Ding Dong, the bitch is dead!" Roscoe laughs, holding Addison's hand and twirling her around.

"Ross, I doubt that's even how the song goes," I gently chide him.

"Whatever, I'm just glad Bianca doesn't have anyone to get her claws into my little sis anymore," he says, ruffling my hair. "Now I only have to fret over one beautiful girl."

He gives Addison a kiss, who blushes. She then frowns and holds her stomach.

"Oooh...that was a big kick," she groans as she sits down on the couch. "I can't believe the due date is coming so soon."

"Uh...when, exactly?" I ask

"Like, two to three weeks?" Ross answers. I pout a little.

"That's when the trial is," I answer dejectedly. Great, now my own brother can't even be here when I need him the most.

"Sorry, little R. Maybe they'll do a taping of it and I'll see it all on TV."

"Yeah, sure…" I say, trying so hard not to be the bratty jealous little sister. I force myself to smile. "Hey, maybe it'll take the heat off of you and Addison for a while."

Ross laughs, forceful as well. Addison looks between the two of us in awkward silence. She whispers something to Roscoe and they head back to his room.

"Come on, Blake, this is your client's little sister we're talking about here…" Wes says into the phone. "Scandalous. We're high school students, not multimillionaire movie stars...I know, I'll owe you one...great...see you there."

"Who was that, Wes?" I ask.

"Ethan Blake. Roscoe's agent. He's going to represent us in the trial. The verdict is a shoo in," Wes boasts.

"I just hope he makes it in time," I wonder aloud. "If this fails...we're all dead."


	2. Nighttime Nausea and Pizza Plans

**BlackCanary98: Yep, Aiden's still willing to testify, but he's still terrified as well. Thankfully he's got Jason to lean on. I'm so glad to put Ethan in this story too. He was my favorite male character in HWU. As for how Wes got his number...let's just say Wes has his ways.**

Ace's POV

Pretty soon, it's just me, Rose and Wes. Ethan tells Rose what to expect on the trial and what to do over the phone. We all have to be professionally dressed, no loud noises, remain focused on the trial...stuff like that.

"Who's Jessica's lawyer?" Rose asks. "...he works for WHAT hospital?"

"What's wrong, Rosie?" I ask.

"Her lawyer works for the hospital where Jason's dad works."

"Why is that bad?"

"Because, Jason's dad kicked him out yesterday. He's not going to help us much when he realizes his son's testifying. But he needs to do so as a witness anyway. Her lawyer's gonna do everything possible to make us look bad and her look like an angel. We could use as much help as we can get. Should I tell Jason?"

"No," I answer. "He's under a lot of stress as is. I think we better wait until the trial next week. This whole case is getting maximum publicity, so all the media want it to start quickly and take as long as possible."

"Well, who's going to testify for her? Not like she has many friends."

"People who are afraid of her, duh," Wes says. "People she can bribe."

"Is that Roscoe's phone, Wes?" Rose asks, pointing to the cell in his hands. He shrugs and tosses it on the couch.

"Not a word," he mouths.

"So that's how you got Ethan's number," Rose concludes. "Ross is gonna kill you for stealing his phone.

"Ends justify the means," Wes shrugs. "Also, don't tell Roscoe I ordered three pizzas."

As if on cue, Roscoe from upstairs shouts, "WES, I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU ORDERED PIZZA ON MY PHONE AGAIN…"

Rose covers her face with a pillow to muffle her laughter. Wes smirks.

"It's ten o'clock!" I exclaim. "Why would you order a pizza at this time?"

"I'm hungry and I didn't have dinner. Besides, I think we should discuss strategy," Wes says. "Jessica's lawyer will do anything possible to poke holes in our story."

"Or sabotage one of us," Rose adds, remembering how viciously Jessica attacked Aiden earlier with a scowl. She frowns, her eyes brimming with regret. "Damn...I made a horrible mistake."

"Rose…" I put my hand on her shoulder and pull her close, practically feeling the weight of the guilt radiating off her.

"I can't help it, Ace. I should've at least told him the truth about Jessica when I first got the chance. I can only imagine how traumatized Aiden is now as a result."

Aiden's POV

I don't know what's worse, my churning stomach or the fact that I'm sweating like crazy in this bed even though there's a bag of ice tied to my ankle. Jason snores quietly next to me. I don't want to wake him up. Who knows how long he's been awake since I passed out.

Frowning, I grit my teeth and clutch my stomach as another wave of pain and nausea washes over me. Truth is, I've never been more terrified in my life. I can't stop thinking about seeing Jessica. I'm worried I'll fall under her spell and end up hurting people I care about again. Ace, Rose...Jason.

My head spins. He's hurting inside and I doubt he can handle anymore heartbreak right now.

 _"Aiden, sweetheart," a voice says. I know its not Jason. It's too high pitched, too...feminine. Jessica materializes in front of me and drags her hand over my cheek. I jump away, my heart beating even faster._

 _"G-get away from me!" I shout, hiding my face. I hear her sniffling. She clings onto my shirt._

 _"I hurt so many people…" she cries. "I hurt you...I can't help it...I'm so sorry Aiden."_

 _"I...I...don't know what to say, Jess. You made me go insane when I was with you."_

 _"And I'm going insane without you, baby."_

 _"I've heard that lie a thousand times from you."_

 _"And I'll tell you the truth a thousand more. I missed you...and you don't even seem to care."_

 _"Why should I? You strung me along for a year. A year!"_

 _"I know I've done bad things in the past but that's just because I love you!"_

 _"But you don't! You never did. Everything you did to me...the cuts...the bruises...the unwanted kissing and touching...that wasn't love. That was your manipulative self using me this whole time. I'm done, Jessica. I'm with people who actually care about me. Maybe jail will teach you a lesson."_

 _I start to leave but I feel her sharp nails digging into the skin of my neck. Her touch burns against my flesh. My blood runs cold. My breathing becomes jagged_.

 _"If you say, so, babe. But you better not testify next week, or I swear you'll see the worst of what I'm capable of," she hisses in a venomous undertone. "I'd sure hate for something bad to happen to Rose or Jason…"_

Someone's gently shaking me. When I'm fully conscious, Jason's on top of me, concern in his eyes.

"It's over now," he says. "It's just a bad dream."

Without thinking, I rush into his arms. Jason says nothing, but rubs my back to calm me.

"Jay…" I moan wearily. I'm suddenly conscious of a sickening lurch in my stomach. My cheeks puff up and I quickly put my hands over my mouth. Jay quickly reaches over the bed and hands me a wastebasket before I end up puking everywhere. We must be waking up the entire building.

"You're sick, aren't you?" Jay asks me. "You must be very stressed."

"I guess," I gasp in between heaves. "This whole trial thing has messed me up a lot. Even if we win, I still feel like she's never gonna leave me alone."

"Babe, I would never make you do something you weren't comfortable with. So if you don't want to see her at all, we won't go to the trial," he says, kissing my hot and sweaty forehead. I can't help but blush a little in spite of my sickness.

"I have to," I try to state firmly, leaning on Jason's chest for support. "For all of us."

"If you insist...but only if I get to hold your hand during the trial. I'll be your personal bodyguard."

I smile faintly at him. "I get a boyfriend and a bodyguard? Cool…"

"I have to know one thing...why does Jessica make you feel this way? With the panic attacks and the nausea...I have a feeling she's done worse things to you than you've told me."

I frown. I don't want to talk about this. Not ever. I shake my head furiously and turn away.

"I swore I'd never bring it up again."

"To her. Not to me. Please, Aiden. At least let me help you get some closure. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life afraid of her and what she can do?"

He looks at me pleadingly. Jason's soft blue puppy dog eyes always made me melt a little. I sigh.

"Ok...I'm ready."


	3. My Precious

Mrs. Zhou's POV

Aiden's number glares tauntingly at me in the screen of my phone. I want to call him so badly, but after the way I've treated him lately, I wouldn't be surprised if he decided not to talk to me again. I toss the phone on the couch. It's not like I haven't deserved it. What was I thinking, listening to some silly girl over my flesh and blood. Everytime I rewatch the video of Jessica's arrest, I don't see the innocent face of who she pretended she was, I see the angry, psychotic face of a monster. And my son...just lying there in the corner, blood surrounding him. I don't even know whether he's alive or not. Glen, my husband, sits down next to me on the piano bench.

"I'm sure he's still out there, Bridget," he says, trying to console me.

"But what if he never wants to come back home? I can't say I blame him. I should've known from the look on his face that something was wrong. I can't believe I let Jessica take advantage of him."

"She fooled all of us, Bridge. But now's your chance to make things right with him. The trial's coming up in a few days. We'll see if Aiden shows up and we can apologize to him."

"Glen," I sniff. "I promised I'd believe him from now on...but I broke that promise. He has every right to hate me."

I look along the grand piano where Aiden would sit for hours in a day practicing. On the top are various pictures and awards he's earned over the years. I pick up a picture of him, at a tender age of 7 after one of his concerts. He looked so happy and innocent as the audience showered him with applause.

 _"Mom!" he exclaimed, rushing off the stage to give me and Glen a hug. "They liked it...they really liked it."_

 _I brushed a kiss on both of his cheeks and beam at him. He smiled and started to blush._

 _"Yes, they did, precious," I gushed, ruffling his hair. The students, parents and teachers were just astounded by Aiden's talent. There's even some talk about him being recruited by talent agents. Like I'd let anyone poach my baby to take advantage of him. "We're both very proud of you."_

 _A formally dressed man with his wife and small child approached us. Glen held out his hand for a polite handshake._

 _"Mr. Parker, how nice to see you again," he said. Mr. Parker looked at Glen's outstretched hand like it would bite, but gave him a firm handshake._

 _"I wish I could say the same," he sneered. His wife (whom I swear is from Latin America) elbowed him. "I mean, the pleasure's mine."_

 _The child (I can't tell if it's a boy or girl.) peeked out from behind them and smiled at Aiden. Aiden walks over to give him/her a hug._

 _"Jay, you made it!" he said. The child blushed and warmly returned the exchange. Mr. Parker looked like he wanted to wrench the two of them apart, but he composed himself and let it slide._

 _"Jayda…"he warned. "What have I told you about getting too close and personal with….people?"_

 _I didn't like the way he said people, but I didn't want to cause a scene. The girl pouted and let go of Aiden._

 _"He's my friend," she protested._

 _I almost missed him mutter, "You wish."_

 _"So, um," Glen tries to salvage the conversation. "What did you think of our son's performance?"_

 _"Impressive. But my eldest daughter can play at least 5 different instruments. To each their own, I guess."_

 _The smile on Aiden's face dimmed a little._

 _"That's...uh...cool…" he muttered. The girl glared at her father._

 _"Daddy!" She chided before turning to Aiden. "That was amazing, Aiden. I loved it."_

 _Aiden's smile returned and he started to blush._

 _"Well, my son Aiden's a remarkable student and we're so proud of how far he's come at such a young age," I defended him, ruffling his hair. "And it's pretty sad how you have to rely on your daughter's achievements to feel like you're worth something."_

 _The man scowled and pulled his daughter and wife away._

 _In the car, Aiden was silent for the longest time, clutching his trumpet._

 _Then, he piped up, "Does Jay's dad hate me?"_

 _"No, precious," I answered. Truth was, I wasn't a stranger to people acting the way that man did. Too bad Aiden had to experience it first-hand._

 _"Is...is my trumpet playing bad? I could practice more. I could practice tons of instruments-"_

 _"Aiden…" I said. "You are already an extraordinary child. Any parent would be lucky to have you, no matter what Jayda's dad says."_

 _"Actually, she likes to be called Jay," he corrected me. "She said something about it being more fitting for her."_

 _"Ok, Jay it is. Now, do you want some peppermint tea when we get home?"_

 _"Yes please!"_

Glen taps my shoulder.

"You've been staring at that picture for 10 minutes, Bridget," he reminds me. I wipe away my tears.

"Glen, he's always felt like he wasn't good enough...I should've seen something was wrong."

"Call him."

"What if he won't pick up?"

"You have to try to reach him. He's been gone for almost two weeks. I'm sure he's cooled down by now."

He hands me the phone. I dial Aiden's number.

It rings…

It rings…

It rings…

"Mom?" He says, his voice a little hoarse and shaky.

"Aiden?"

There's an awkward silence over the phone.

"I'm so sorry," we say at the same time.

"Sorry? For what, Aiden?"

"I shouldn't have blown you off a week ago."

"I should've listened to you more and put two and two together," I say. "I would've never put you through such hell if I'd known."

"It's ok, Mom. We were both fooled," he admits before launching into a fit of coughs and dry heaves. "I've been a little sick, as of late."

"A little?" Someone says in the background. Aiden hastily shushes them.

"Who's that?" I ask.

"Uh...You remember Jay from elementary and middle school?"

"Yeah?"

"That was him…"

"Him? I thought...oh...Oh! Duh! Made much more sense. Where are you?"

"We're at a shelter. He's my...my boyfriend."

"...Aiden, that's nothing to be ashamed of. As long as he's treating you right, I don't care who you're dating."

"So...the trial's coming up in a few days...are you coming?"

"Of course. I have a few choice words for that monster who hurt my son and his friends. Please be safe and I hope you come back home soon."

"...I'll think about it. Bye, Mom."

"Bye, Precious."

He hangs up. Glen looks at me expectantly.

"Well?" He asks.

"Well, he isn't mad anymore...but he said he'll think about coming back. I guess we have to wait until the trial…"

(Sneak Peek of Next Chapter)

Ace's POV

"Guys?" Wes says. "You might want to look at the TV."

"A brave soul like yourself, tell the audience about your side of the story," An older woman waves a microphone in front of Jessica. Fuck my life.

"Well, it's no secret that Rose and her friends have been making my life a living hell. If only I knew what made her so hateful towards me. It all started when she came to Oliver Berry High," Jessica sniffles.


	4. Spreads Like Wildfire

**BlackCanary98: I'm glad I had Mrs. Zhou talk to her son so they could work on rebuilding their relationship. (Although in Choices I bet this would be a diamond scene lol). Yeah, it's about time, she realized what was going on. Aiden isn't necessarily sick, it's his nerves making him dizzy and nauseous. And yep, there is definitely more drama on the horizon.**

Ace's POV

Wes, Rose and I sit in shock and horror as we watch Jessica mercilessly tear down our reputations on the TV.

"Rose always liked to take advantage of the boys. She'd pick the ones with a troubled past and exploit their weaknesses. I've suspected there be some physical abuse between her and Aiden," Jessica says, wiping away a fake tear. "It's too bad I couldn't be there for him when I should've and let him fall into Rose's clutches. She's not the nice girl everyone makes her out to be."

Rose balls her fists in anger. "She's completely flipped the entire story! I would never hurt Aiden!"

"I know, sweetheart. Let's keep watching."

"Then there was the matter of Ace, who's suffering from PTSD…" I hear Jessica say.

I nearly choke on my own spit. How did she find out about that? I then remember the incident in the nurse's office. Of course. I've gotta remember to delete my search history next time. I'm not even conscious of my digging my nails into my skin until I draw blood.

"I tried to talk to both of them, but they shut my down. Oh, if only I'd tried a little harder to get through to them that Rose wasn't good for either of them," Jessica continues.

"And how do you feel, knowing that she's trying to frame you for everything she did?" The reporter asks.

Now here come the waterworks.

"I don't know what I did to make her so angry with me! She used to go to my old school. She was a new kid. I offered to let her sit with me and my friends. She laughed at me and smashed her lunch tray on my head, then stole my tray."

"Ha!" Rose snorts. "I walked past her, she tripped me and dumped her tray on me. Then she took mine, saying that I needed to lose the weight anyway."

Rose looks down at herself.

"Is that when...your eating disorder happened?" I ask, finding her hand and gently squeezing it.

"Not right away...but it did lead up to that….my God, Ace. She's going to completely wreck my reputation."

She grabs my hand tighter. I wrap my free hand around her and pull her close.

"I'll always believe you, no matter what she says, even if everyone else hates us."

Apparently this makes things worse, as tears start to well up in her brown eyes.

"But I don't want people to hate me. What about my friends? Julian, Autumn, Mia...I don't think I could deal with facing them everyday."

I don't know what else to say, so I just hold her silently as the TV spews out more lies.

"Do you have anything to say to any of them if they're watching?" the lady asks Jessica. Jessica wipes her tears off (she has waterproof mascara, good grief!) and straightens up.

"Yes," she says firmly. "Rose, I want you to know that you're going to get everything that's coming to you for the way you've treated me. Ace, you had your chance, but you blew it, so screw you. And Aiden...baby, you know I've always loved you, and I always will. I know we've had our ups and downs, but I really miss you. Hopefully when this trial is over we can start over. No cheating, no fights. I promise."

Rose turns off the TV, then hurls the remote at the TV. Thankfully, it misses and bounces off a wall. Wes and I have to restrain her before she kicks a hole into it.

"I...am...going...to... **kill...that...girl** ," she snarls, struggling against her restraints.

"Rose, please calm down," I plead, narrowly dodging a kick to the nuts. "This isn't going to solve anything."

"Ace, she exposed your PTSD on TV. SHe's completely warping the entire story. And what's worse, she's gonna keep guilt-tripping Aiden until whatever's bugging him finally eats him up. If I'm going down, I'm dragging her damn hair extensions to hell with me!" Rose growls. Is is a bad time to think that this fierce and angry side to her turns me on a little?

"Rosie, I'm sure it won't be that bad at school tomorrow," I say, trying to soothe her. Rose signs and stops struggling.

Unfortunately, I was dead wrong. Penny, the senior class president stops me on my way to my office.

"I don't mean to be harsh or anything, but I think you should take a break from your junior class president duties, Ace," she says.

"What? Why?" I demand. "All of my assignments are top-notch and on time. My grades are fine. I-"

"I know, Ace. It's just that...I know you've been under a lot of stress, lately-"

"Great, first the guidance counselor beckons me into his room for an hour long visit and now I'm being told I'm no longer capable of performing my duties," I grumble.

"It's not like that!" Penny snaps. "Let's face it. You're a liability. We're supposed to present a plan to the school board about adjusting the budget for the winter dance in two weeks. What if you have a meltdown while we're presenting? What if you become so out of it that we don't even GET the presentation done in time?"

I really want to lash out at this girl, but I bite my tongue.

Through gritted teeth, I say, "Fine. As my vice president, I'll have Rose take my place."

"Didn't you hear? She's been removed from office this morning. Sorry, but with a rep like hers, the students didn't want her as vice president anymore. And also, we tried to overlook the fact that two council members were dating, but Professor Edwin said that's even more reason why she needed to go. In fact, you're lucky she didn't decide to kick you out as well!"

"Are you kidding me? This happened this morning and you're just now telling me this?" I say, my face growing red with anger.

"OK, you're at a ten, and I need you at a two, Ace. This is exactly why you need to take a break," Penny says in a condescending manner.

"You'll see me at a twenty if Rose doesn't get reinstated," I warn her. "She's innocent."

"That's not what the people think, Ace. And our job here is to serve the people. I think you've forgotten who the junior president is and who the senior president is. Now you can either do as I say or be permanently relieved of your duties," she says.

" _Then I quit_." I hiss, before turning on my head.

"This is exactly your problem, Ace," she calls after me. "So stubborn!"

I stalk off, looking for Rose. Then I see her, amidst a sea of unfriendly faces.

Rose's POV

"Ace?!" I desperately cry out, but my voice is drowned out by the ugly shouting of the mob surrounding me. First I get fired from all my jobs at the school and now this.

"How long have you been lying to us?" demands the head cheerleader.

"What did poor Jessica and Aiden ever do to you?" A virtuoso yells.

"How could you take advantage of your own boyfriend's mental illness?" an emo gripes. I feel the crowd pushing in closer and closer. I see an opening and frantically dash through it. I bolt into a closet door and slam it before sinking to the ground and crying. The door opens, and for a moment I worry that the mob has found me. Ace peeks his head into the door.

"Ace!" I sob as he takes me into his arms.

"I know, Rosie. I know," he says, trying not to cry himself.

"I love this school, but the people in it are so frustrating!" I vent into his chest. "They believe one thing or another. They're either hating on me or hating on someone else. Freaking sheep!"

"I heard you were dismissed from junior vice president," he says.

"That's not all," I say. "I got fired from admissions office secretary, prom designer, and mentor all in one day."

"Well...if it makes you feel any better, I quit being junior class president."

"What?" I gasp. "But you love your position."

"I love you more, Rose," he says, his forehead against mine. "When they wouldn't reinstate you, I left. It would only be enjoyable if you were by my side the whole time."

"Ace…" Is all I get out before I start crying again.

"I really hope Ethan gets here and clears up this mess," Ace whispers.

Aiden's POV

"You Ok, babe?" Jason asks me as we sit down at the cafeteria table. I rub my stomach and nod.

"Still a little queasy, but I'll be fine," I say. After a whole night and morning of puking my guts out, I'm completely drained and in need of something to eat. Hopefully it stays down this time.

"I'll go get lunch," he tells me, kissing my cheek as I rest my head on the table. I wait until I no longer hear his footsteps that I close my eyes.

A few minutes later, someone clears his throat.

"You're back already, Jay?" I ask groggily.

"Um...no, this is Michael," the guy says. I immediately bolt upright and narrow my eyes at him. Our last encounter wasn't that pleaseant and I don't expect things to be any different now.

"What do you want?" I demand.

"Look, I came to apologize for icing you out," he says. "I know things went south with Jessica because of Rose, but she's desperate for you, man. She loves you. She even said so in this video."

He holds up his phone to show me a video of Jessica.

". _..And Aiden...baby, you know I've always loved you, and I always will. I know we've had our ups and downs, but I really miss you. Hopefully when this trial is over we can start over. No cheating, no fights. I promise._ "

I don't no whether to throw up what little food I have left or cry, so I do what is probably the most illogical thing I've ever done and sock Michael in the face. He staggers backwards, clutching his eye. A monitor runs right up to us.

"What happened?" he demands.

"Nothing serious," Michael lies. "I think one of the freshman accidentally hit me with an apple during one of their food fights."

The monitor seems to buy it and scurries of the scold the freshman. I turn to him.

"Why did you do that?"

"It was a test to see if you're still under Jessica's influence. And judging by the shiner you just gave me, you aren't. Ow...Myra owes me big time for this. I'm really sorry I doubted Rose. And...I'm sorry the rest of us didn't reach out to you in time."

"It's not your fault, Michael. I'm the one who pushed you guys away, when really, I was just grieving over the sudden breakup freshman year."

"Hey, babe~" Jay says, putting the two trays down to wrap his arms around my waist and kiss me. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Michael," I say awkwardly. "Michael, this is my, uh, boyfriend."

"Huh. Who knew Aiden Zhou played at both ends?" Michael comments. I blush, while Jason laughs. "Well, if you need me, I'll be telling the rest of the gang that you're back (finally) and shake Myra down for an ice pack and 10 dollars."

When he strolls off, Jason asks, "Hey. Are you feeling ok? Like really?"

"I'm fine," I insist, giving him a weak smile. "A little shaken up, but fine."

"Are you sure? Not that I'm trying to impose on you, but...I don't want to find out too late that you really aren't fine. You were there for me as kids. Now let me be there for you too."

"Well...If we're being completely honest, I'm a nervous wreck. I can't eat, I can't sleep. I can't stop thinking about the trial and what this means for us," I admit, resting my head on his shoulder. "Will I ever be normal again?"

"Babe, you're already normal. And before you know it, you'll be back on stage, playing concerts for people like you used to," Jason assures me, gently pressing his lips to mine. Before we know it, his hands find my hips and my hands run through his hair. "Uh, babe?"

"Yeah?"

"You actually gonna eat your lunch?"

"I will, but I'm a little hungry for something else right now."

Jason's POV

I've probably said this a million times, but damn...that boy can kiss. I'm still daydreaming about our mini-makeout session when I head into the performing arts room for glee club practice. All ten members are gawking at me.

"What? Is there a hickey on my neck?" I ask. I don't think we were that intense.

"Jay…" one of the girls says sadly. "Why didn't you tell us you were trans?"

"I...I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. Besides, me coming out is no one's buisness," I assert.

"But I thought we were like family," she presses. "The number one rule of Glee Club? We should never be ashamed to hide ourselves."

"Heh," A guy I can't stand snorts. "And here I thought we had our first MALE glee club leader."

His snarky comment sets me off.

"You want to go, you son of a bitch?" I snap. "How about I take my baton and shove it up where the sun don't shine!?"

"Jay, calm down," the girl pleads. "We're not supposed to be fighting within the family!"

"Damn the family," I growl before turning to the heckler. "I'm going to pretend you did not just make that comment, you piece of shit. But next time, I won't go easy on you."

I turn on my heel and leave.

"Where are you going? Practice is starting," the girl calls after me.

"Practice can suck it!" I holler before running smack into Rose and Ace. Rose's eyes are red and puffy. Ace looks like he's seen a ghost.

"After School. My house. You and Aiden. We need to talk," she says.


	5. Boiling Point

**Is there a bug on the website or something. My screen says there are four reviews, but everytime I check, there are two. Anyone else having this problem?**

 **Update: I just saw the review. (3 days later, though?)**

 **BlackCanary98: Yep, Jay takes crap from no one. Not his parents, not his patronizing classmates, and especially not his transphobic haters. I see the student body (much like my own) as quite generic to be honest. They're quick to judge but slow to admit when they're wrong. As for innocent until proven guilty, the students are sheep. They'd sooner believe Jessica's fake crying act over Rose.**

Ava's POV

By the time Uma and I arrive at Rose's house, everyone is sitting in terse silence. Rose remains firmly wrapped in Ace's arms, sniffling quietly. Jason grips Aiden's hand, his knuckles white.

"Jay," Aiden asks, trying to get his boyfriend's attention. "What's wrong?"

" **Nothing**." Jason growls through gritted teeth. "It's not a big deal."

"Are...are you mad at me?" He asks. Jason's face softens a little.

"No, why would you think that?"

"Is that sarcasm?"

Jay sighs.

"No, babe. It isn't. Nothing to worry about."

Aiden falls silent. I clear my throat and everybody looks at us.

"Hey, Ava," Rose sniffs, her voice muffled by Ace's sweater.

"Hey. I got your text. Are you ok?"

"No…" she says. I sit down next to her and pull out a tub of strawberry-lemon ice cream.

"Picked some things up at the store. Thought it'll make you feel a little better."

Rose breaks away from Ace just enough to take the ice cream. A hint of a smile plays at her lips.

"Thanks, Ava. This is my favorite...I've really been having a rough day."

"Want to talk about it."

"I lost all my jobs today," she sighs. "No one wants an abusive girlfriend as their vice president, admissions secretary, prom planner, or mentor."

"I quit being class President when I heard," Cruz says. I gasp.

"I thought that meant everything to you."

"No, Rose does. I won't be president if she isn't my VP," he states firmly as Rose puts her head on his shoulder. "Our classmates don't deserve the school she's worked so hard to build."

"Tell me about it. It seems they are never 100% loyal to one person," I scoff.

"At least you and Uma didn't face any backlash," Rose says. "Then again, she completely excluded you two and Wes from the interview."

"Because the rest of us were her main targets," Ace adds. Rose's phone rings and she gets up to go answer it.

"Are you guys ready for the trial?" Uma asks.

"Hell yeah. I can't wait to see the look on her face behind bars," Jason asserts, crossing his arms.

"I second that," says Ace. Aiden says nothing.

"Babe?" Jason nudges him.

"Huh? Yeah...sure," Aiden mumbles with uncertainty. He looks a little green to be honest. His expression changes when Jason whispers something to him. He scowls and whispers something back. This turns into a pissed-off whispering match. I catch fragments of what they're saying. Everyone else is either zoned out or doing their own thing.

"...told you I wasn't ready…"

"...not what you said...night…"

"...changed my mind...you don't tell me everything..."

"What else is there to tell?!" Jason snaps suddenly, causing all of us to jump. Aiden's eyes widen, but revert back to a glare. They aren't holding hands anymore. They are suddenly conscious that we're all staring at them, so they excuse themselves and head to the foyer and close the door behind them.

Barely a few seconds later, we hear a, "HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ME TO TRUST YOU IF YOU WON'T EVEN TELL ME WHEN YOU'RE UPSET?!"

Then a softer voice: "Look, Jay. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten upset. I know you're probably going through a-"

Aiden gets silenced by a sudden thunk and we hear someone end up on the ground.

"I don't need your damn sympathy!"

Uma opens the door to the foyer and sees Aiden on the floor, clutching his bruised cheek with angry tears in his eyes. Jason stands there, staring at his hand with absolute horror.

" ** _I trusted you_**." The hurt in Aiden's voice is so thick I can feel it.

"I…" For once, Jason's at a loss for words. "This can't be happening…Babe, I-"

"Don't _ever_ call me that again," Aiden hisses curtly. "I'm done with people messing with my heart. I swore I'd never let another person get close enough to hurt me, and look what happened. I'm done, Jason."

"Are _we_ done?" Jay asks. Aiden scowls and storms out of the house.

"What happened?" Uma asks.

"I was having a really bad day at school today. People were either giving me hell or treating me like I was some basket case. I tried to push aside my own pain by helping Aiden with his, but I was too pushy. Then one thing led to another and I took out all my frustrations out on him. I messed up. Badly. Now I'm no different from Jessica in his eyes."

"Aw, don't say that," Uma consoles him sadly. "I'm sure if you give it time, he'll come around."

"Um, guys?" I say. "I don't think we have that much time."

They look at me. I hold up my phone with a text message.

 **YourMainVirtuoso: Tell Rose I'm sorry I let everybody down, but I can't go to the trial. It's too much and not worth it. I won't be able to handle anymore heartache. And tell Jay...tell Jay I still love him despite everything. Goodbye.**

Jason falls to his knees, pale and trembling.

"I have to go find him!" he gasps, taking off. Rose comes back, looking pissed. Her expression softens when she sees everyone.

"What happened?" she asks.

"Jay and Aiden had an argument, Jay lost his temper...and now I think Aiden is going to kill himself."

Rose gasps when she hears this. Then she gets mad.

"I knew something like this would happen. She's finally started pushing people over the edge until there's none of us left to stop her. Get the keys to my motorcycle. We have to find him before it's too late."

(Sneak Peek of Next Chapter)

Aiden's POV

I have to do this now before I chicken out again. My feet dangle freely on the town's bridge. I stare long and hard at myself in the water's reflection. I look at the bruise on my cheek and think of Jason.

How couldn't I have seen this coming? He'd been so secretive towards me since the beginning and even after I found out he was trans. He had a temper, and a vicious one at bat. I can't believe I let myself get carried away. Well, no more. After this, no one can ever manipulate me again.

Trying to gather courage, I lean precariously over the edge.

"Just do it…" I whisper to myself. "And it will be all over…"

I'm about to push myself of the ledge when I faintly hear someone calling my name...


	6. All You Have To Do is Stay

**BlackCanary98: Baa baa black sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, a whole school full XD. Anyway, Jay has a lot of pent up rage at the world for making a big deal out of his identity, sp yeah, his reaction was understandable, but obviously not justified.**

Jason's POV

The pounding of my feet echo my rapidly beating heart as I tear down the street. I frantically look side to side for a boy with jet-black hair. Rose, Uma, and Ava are looking along the highway. Ace and Wes are checking the shelter and his parents' house. I'm looking around town.

"Aiden?" I cry. "Aiden, I swear I'm sorry!"

I find my way to the bridge, where he's sitting on the edge, legs dangling over. He's about to push himself over the bridge when he spots me. Immediately, he hoists himself over the railing and bolts in the other direction. Well at least he didn't go off the bridge...

"Aiden, wait a minute!" I call after him. My God, if he gets hurt because of me, I'll never forgive myself.

He looks over his shoulder to yell, "You had your chance! And you blew it!"

I manage to catch up to him.

"I know I did! But I'm sorry!"

He scowls, increasing his speed. His shoulders slump a little.

"Sorry isn't good enough for this, Jason."

He takes a sharp left into the woods. With all those trees and branches, I'll never reach him in time. Bracing myself, I charge into the thick of the woods. The branches sweep at me and snag my clothes, but I don't care. I seem to be going in circles for hours. Every agonizing minute intensifies my fear that I'd never see my boyfriend again.

I suddenly remember something. There's a little cave where Aiden and I used to hangout in when we were kids. He'd show me little symphonies he created and I'd try to put words to it. My voice was atrocious back then before I hit puberty but we had fun. He's got to be there. He has to.

When I get there, I push aside the rock that blocked the entrance and see him lying on the ground. It feels like someone swung a metal mallet at my chest. A strangled cry rises from my throat.

I'm too late.

My legs buckle and I sink to the ground.

"No...it can't be true…" I whisper before breaking down completely. I gasp his name in between sobs, not caring about how loud I'm being. My boyfriend is gone and it's all my stupid fault!

"Hmm?" He moans, causing me to jump and hit the rocky ceiling. Ouch.

"Y-you're alive?"

"I was asleep," he answers, before pausing to look at my tear stained face. "Jason, were you crying?"

Ordinarily, I would've denied ever showing that kind of emotion in front of people, but I need to prove I'm trustworthy again.

"Yeah, yeah, big deal."

"Wow, this is probably the first time I've seen you openly cry. You would've been that upset if I was gone?"

"Obviously! Aiden, I'm so, so, SO sorry for hurting you. I was having a bad day, I took it out on you. It was completely unfair of me to do that," I say, hugging him like he was the last person on the planet. Aiden does not return my affection, but he doesn't pull away either.

"Jason...you were going to lie to me about being trans. You never want to open up to me but somehow you expect me to tell you everything in my life. I know you didn't mean it, but you hit me. That was something I thought I'd never have to go through again."

I grimace, thinking of the incident. All he did was put a comforting hand on my shoulder, and I snapped. My hand moved faster than my mind did.

"I know. I swear, I'll never put my hands on you again," I promise, tracing the bruise on his cheek. "Unless it's to mess with your hair or snuggle with you...if you'll let me."

Aiden sighs. "I'll think about it."

"Aiden, when you saw me coming, why didn't you jump off the bridge when you had the chance?"

"...As angry and hurt as I was, I could never let you actually watch me die. Then I came here, and I started to think of everyone I'd end up leaving behind. The last time I saw my parents was weeks ago on bad terms. Imagine how crushed my mother would feel to hear that she'll never see her only son again. Rose would never be the same, constantly blaming herself for my death until it drives her insane. So I ended up talking myself out of killing myself, but only because you showed up when you did. Thanks, Jason."

"You're welcome," I stammer, blushing a little.

"It's just...I feel like I did something to upset you and I want to know what it is," he says, his eyes searching mine.

"To be honest, it had nothing to do with you. It was all me. I just want to be treated like a normal person, you know? Not a flashy poster boy for social change, not an abomination. Just be me. But people don't seem to like that."

"Christ, Jay...why didn't you tell me before?" He asks me.

"I thought you were going to feel sorry for me or tell me to suck it up. Just like everyone ELSE!" I kick a stray rock against the door before sinking to the ground. "Ugh! Why is this so difficult?!"

To my surprise, Aiden puts his hand over my trembling ones.

"Because you keep building up walls to defend yourself that no one can reach out to you properly. You don't even like to show your pain in front of people in fear of looking weak.I'm guilty of that as well," he admits.

"I guess we both need to work on being more open with each other, huh?"

"I guess... Where do we go from here?"

"Oh! Um...I should probably tell the others I found you...Aiden, please never try something this reckless again. You're too amazingly talented (and cute) for that."

Aiden bows his head, but I can tell he's blushing.

"You want to know one of my many talents? I can hold the whole world in my hands."

"Huh? How-"

He cups my face and kisses me passionately. If I wasn't a flushed mess before, I sure am now.

"Impressed?" He asks with a cocky grin.

"Pfft, show off. I can do that too," I say, kissing him back. This startles him, and before long, we end up on the ground, breathless and smiling. Suddenly, Aiden's expression becomes sober.

"Jay...I never thought you were anything like Jessica."

"How did you-"

"I wasn't that far gone, you dork. Besides, you admitted you were in the wrong instead of making excuses. And when you saw I was hurt, you didn't walk away for things to blow over. You...you actually came back for me. You're like, a hundred times better to be honest...and...I think I love you."

I swear my heart skips a beat when I hear him say that. Am I dreaming? Did he really admit that he loved me?

"Jason? You look like you're about to have a heart attack."

"I might as well be. Ever since we were kids, I've always felt that way about you. And now here we are...and you finally said it."

"Are you about to cry?"

"No...yes...shut up," I choke as I take him into my arms.

"As much as I'd love to stay here with you a little longer, we should probably get back to the others. They're probably worried sick."

"Just a little longer? I'll send them a text to tell them you're alright."

"Hmm...ok. But just for a few minutes...or hours."

"I'm so glad you're still here."

"So am I, Jay."


	7. Zero to Hero

**BlackCanary98: I realized if I killed Aiden off at this point, it would mess up the plot pretty bad. Plus, it would be a waste of a good ship. Oh, and the title of the chapter is actually from Alyssa Cara's song.**

Rose's POV

"Oh my God, Aiden. You scared the crap out of us!" I exclaim when we find him and Jason. Judging by the messy hair and blushing faces, they did a lot more than make up.

"I know, and I'm sorry. Luckily Jay came when he did," Aiden says, giving his boyfriend's shoulder a squeeze. Jay grins, picks Aiden up by his waist and spins him around before trailing kisses down his neck while the latter laughs and blushes.

"Aiden's the one who came to his senses. I only helped. But...it helps that we know now how to make things work between us," Jason adds.

"I'm glad you two worked it out. Now, we gotta do something to counteract that interview."

"Well, I got offered an interview….I haven't replied though," Jason says. "Maybe I can set things straight...even though I'm not- Aiden that tickles!"

"I don't know, Jay…" I hesitate. "From what I've heard from my brother, May isn't...the friendliest host."

"We have to try," Jay insists, looking into Aiden's eyes. "It's the least I can do….after, you know."

Aiden touches his cheek bruise uncomfortably.

"I already told you it's alright, Jay. You were just mad."

"It doesn't matter how angry I am, I shouldn't have lashed out at you," Jason admits, glaring guiltily at the bruise and sighing. "Besides, I promised I'd never let you get hurt again. And if doing the interview is the way to go about it, then so be it."

He picks up his cell phone and dials. All of us wait with bated breath.

"Hello? Yes, this is he. No, I'm a dude...Well I mean technically yes, but physically I'm...Uh...I'm not comfortable talking about what's in my pants right now...Look, I'm willing to do the interview...Yeah...at...school? Funny thing is, I'm performing on that day. Can we possibly reschedule? Ugh, fine. But none of my friends get harrassed, deal? Huh? I though she...THEY WHAT? No supporting evi- What, did the cops not look through her phone or something?!...Yeah, alright. Fine. Goodbye."

"What's wrong?" Aiden asks.

"She who must not be named was released on bail. The charges are considered being dropped."

"Oh my God," Ava gasps.

"You can't possibly tell me that all this crap we're going through is for nothing?" Ace growls.

"She's...out? As in, in the real world? Here?" Aiden moans turning quite green. "I think I need a minute…"

He rushes off as fast as he can, but the retching sounds are pretty loud.

"I probably shouldn't have said that when he was in earshot," Jason admits awkwardly. "I'll go check up on him."

I turn to the others.

"Guys...what does this mean for us?" I ask. "She'll be waiting for us. She'll want revenge."

"Well, I'm ready to kick her ass if need be," Ava asserts, crossing her arms.

"That's my girl," Uma cheers, giving Ava a peck on the cheek.

"I'm not completely opposed to using violence if necessary," Wes remarks.

"I second that," Ace adds.

"Look, I'm up for revenge any day, but we better stay under her radar. Especially me."

"Well, Uma and I are heading to the gym-"

"Right before we gorge ourselves on pizza and ice cream," Uma teases.

"You weren't supposed to tell them that!" Ava laughs. "Anyway, I'll be back at 7. You wanna come with?"

"Thanks," I say. "But Ace and I have a date tonight. It'll be our first official one...since our first one was ruined."

"Alright, we'll see you later. And keep me posted if something strange comes up."

"You'll be the first to know."

Aiden's POV

"You ready?" I ask Jason as I help him get ready for his performance. I adjust his headset and beam at him. "I can't wait to finally see you in action."

Jason gives me a nervous smile, running a hand through his brown hair.

"This is the first time I've actually been nervous about a performance. Part of it's because you're watching and part is because of my interview right after. What if I miss a note? What if I trip and fall on my face? What if-"

"Jay…" I whisper, kissing him to shut him up. "You don't need to be nervous around me. I know you'll be great. And hey, if you need me, I can be with you during the interview. Now go do your thing."

I give him one more kiss for luck and go find a seat in the auditorium. On my way I hear Rose arguing with some students.

"Guys, don't tell me you too believe that interview?" Rose says sadly. A blonde cheerleader gives her an icy stare.

"I'd hate to admit it Rose, but everything that Jessica girl said is true," she says. " It seems you're always trying to fix people's problems to get them to like you, and just when you get them under your wing, you pit people against each other so you can 'help' them out."

"Mia!" an artist girl scolds. "Look, Rose. I really believe you, but Jessica somehow has access to a bunch of art scholarships around the world. I can't give that up. Sorry."

"It's ok, Autumn. But I expected better from the rest of you!" Rose scolds. "We've been friends for a year, and you can't even stick up for someone who's been with you through thick and thin. Have any of you forgotten that I'm the reason you guys don't have to stay at the hellhole we call Hearst?!"

"You may have brought us together, Rose," a pink haired female in a steampunk suit snaps. "But now we know we escaped one tyrant to live under another."

"Saki, I-"

"It's _Sakura_ , to you, Rose. I think you should just go."

"Ok…"

Once Rose is out of earshot, the group sighs.

"I wish we didn't have to be mean to Rose like that," Mia groans.

"Yeah, but you know what Jessica said she'd do if one of us stuck up for her ," Sakura responds. "You know she managed to get access to my gaming stats and threatened to delete EVERYTHING?"

"She said she'd get me blacklisted from MIT," a nerdy guy complains.

"I'd never get to explore more fashion all over the world and make cute clothes for all the needy people," a preppy girl sighs.

"My brand would be slandered and no one would ever want to listen to my music again," growls a musician.

"I'd never get into the NFL," a jock dude adds.

I shake my head. Jessica's too good at this game. I find where Rose's is sitting. She gives me a forced smile.

"Excited to see your boyfriend perform?" she asks.

"Yeah... about your friends…"

Her face falls.

"They're not my friends anymore, I guess."

"Yeah but-"

"Shush!" A raven haired girl in front of us hisses. "The performance is starting!"

The music starts, a single spotlight on the stage appears, and Jason pops out in the dark, his feet bouncing to the beat.

"You think you know me, but you don't know me…"

His voice is even sexier than the last time.

"You think you own me, but you can't control me. You look at me, and there's just one thing that you see, so listen to me... ** _LISTEN TO ME_** …"

The audience explodes into applause and cheers. The rest of the glee club jumps on stage and starts dancing and singing as Jason's backup.

"You push me back, I push you back (Harder, harder). You scream at me, I scream at you (Louder, l-l-l-l-louder!) I'm dangerous, I'm warning you. But you're not afraid of me. And I can't convince you, that you don't know me."

Jason flawlessly executes every kick, spin and spin. Occasionally he runs a hand in his hair, making "come hither" eyes at me and making me blush like crazy. The crowd absolutely eats it up.

"You think you got me, but you don't get me. You think you want me, but _you don't know what you're getting into!_ There's so much more to me than what you think you see, so listen to me... ** _Just listen to me!_** "

"Go Jason!" Rose cheers. A few students glare at her but turn their attention back into the stage.

"You push me back, I push you back (Harder, harder). You scream at me, I scream at you (Louder, l-l-l-l-louder!) I'm dangerous, I'm warning you. But you're not afraid of me. And I can't convince you, that you don't know me."

Jason climbs off the stage and starts moving through the audience, the spotlight following his every move. It looks like he's coming towards... ** _me_**! I feel my face growing redder with every step he takes. The audience is practically roaring as Jason tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"And the longer that you stay, the ice is melting...And the pain feels okay, it feels okay (hey)"

"You push me back, I push you back...You scream at me, I scream at you, louder...louder...

 _Louder…_ _louder_... _louder_... ** _louder_**... ** _louder_**... ** _louder_**... ** _LOUDER!_** "

Despite me frantically pantamimining that I am a terrible dancer, Jason pulls me on stage as he and the rest of the glee club finish their song. Thankfully, Jason takes the lead so I don't fret too much. I relax against his somewhat built frame and sway my hips to synchronize with Jason's.

"You push me back, I push you back (Harder, harder). You scream at me, I scream at you (Louder, l-l-l-l-louder!) I'm dangerous, I'm warning you. But you're not afraid of me. And I can't convince you…"

Jason looks me dead in the eye when he sings this last line.

"...And I don't have to...I think you know me."

We share a kiss on the stage. The audience's applause is deafening, but all I can think about is Jay and I, alone in this passionate moment.

"Jay…" I breathe. "Wow…"

"You really liked it?"

"I loved it...but not as much as you."

He kisses me over and over, when a loud air horn pierces the air. I accidentally slip my tongue in his mouth, but Jason doesn't seem too fazed. All the way in the back is an older woman with a microphone in her hand, a girl who appears to be Bianca Stone, and Jessica. I already feel my insides twisting at the sight of her.

"I'd hate to interrupt the love fest," the woman says, clearly meaning the opposite. "But I believe Jason over there owes me an interview. And don't worry, we're broadcasting it as we speak, so all of your classmates will hear what you have to say!"

I see Bianca and Jessica smirking at us. I gather enough courage to send them a venomous glare. I promised I'd be there for Jason in his interview, and damn right I'm gonna do it.


	8. The Interview

**BlackCanary98: You didn't think I'd forgotten about the originay HSS crew did you? Of course they'd stand up for Rose so Jessica has to silence them before they do. And I'm glad you liked Jason's performance.**

Jason's POV

I study my boyfriend's face, gauging his reaction. Instead of looking scared or sick, he glares straight at Jessica.

"You ok, babe?" I whisper to him as they set up the interview.

"Never better," he replies, clenching his fists. "She's not going to scare me this time."

I beam and kiss his cheek, pulling him close to me.

"That's my brave man," I murmur. The gesture makes him go red in the face and smile back at me.

I notice Jessica glaring at the two of us. She and Bianca whisper angrily to each other. I don't know what collusion they have, but I won't let it bother me.

"Will she ask me any questions?" Aiden asks, breaking my thought train.

"Maybe. If anyone tries to spin the story on us, we gotta make them look as bad as possible. Got it?"

"Do I get to hold your hand the whole time?"

"Duh."

"Ok, lovebirds, it's time to start the show. Take a seat," May barks at the two of us.

There's a black loveseat here. Nice. Aiden and I take a seat in front of Jessica and Bianca. May sits in between all of us.

"Now, Jay, I'm sure you're aware of the rumors surrounding you and everyone else."

"Yeah, and I'd like to say that they're all lies blown out of proportion."

"So the rumors about you being a transvestite are false?"

"Yes! Well...technically I identify as male but...I haven't done the…*ahem* the surgery," I mumble. This is not going as planned. "But I actually wanted to talk to you about Rose. She's actually a really good kid."

"How so?"

"She's always helping people out of a pinch. She even help me start a glee club here. And...if it wasn't for her, I don't think Aiden and I would even be together."

"Does that mean that Rose is single handedly responsible for ending Jessica and Aiden's relationship?"

"I don't know the exact details, but if you ask me, she did him a favor. I know from the experience of dating Jessica that she's a toxic person."

"That bruise on Aiden's cheek is new. How did he get it?" Jessica rudely butts in.

"I got hit with a baseball," Aiden covers for me.

"I thought you didn't like sports." Jessica presses.

"We were passing by a baseball field when it hit me." Aiden continues.

"I'll take it from here, Jess darling. I have a question for Aiden himself. What the hell do you see in Jason that you didn't see in Jessica?"

"A person who loves me as much as I love them," he replies calmly, putting his head on my shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, all that sappy crap. But let's be real. Your boyfriend lives in a shelter. My sources tell me even you didn't know about his being transgender until he was outed. How did that make you feel?"

He sighs.

"I was really hurt at first, but then I realized that he wasn't ready to be out of the closet yet, and I shouldn't be upset that he was forced out without his permission. At least now I know and we've gotten closer as a result."

"Doesn't the fact that he kept secrets from you bother you?"

"My ex girlfriend had an ex boyfriend I didn't even know about until a year later, and turns out, they're still seeing each other!"

"Rose set me up! I would've never kissed Asher if she hadn't made him come on to me," Jessica protests. She walks up to Aiden and takes his hand. "Baby, it was a moment of weakness, I swear. We had a good thing together."

"I can't do this back and forth thing with you. I'm with someone better," Aiden says, shrugging off her advances. Jessica's not someone to give up so easily.

"Better? Please. You know as well as I do that Jason couldn't give you even half the things I could," she scoffs. "Think about it. With your talent and my connections, you could be performing anywhere you could possibly want. Everyone would know what a talented musician you are. Just like your heroes Rope Tart and Bait Oven."

" _Mozart and Beethoven_ ," he corrects her with a scowl. "And I don't care about being famous.I care about my friends and my boyfriend. And the fact that you can't even name two famous composers that I've mentioned on several occasions tells me you never cared about me either."

"As much as everyone would love to hear this back and forth continue, the point of this interview is so people know our side of the story," I cut in before Jessica can retort. "Honestly, it's fucking stupid how you let one person get so much power that you believe anything you hear from her over someone most of you have known since this school was open. You're so quick to judge that you go from hating one person to the next. Has it occured to any of you assholes that a person doesn't change overnight?"

Professor Edwin is probably heading over to take the mike away from me but I'm on a roll now. Students are starting to jeer and boo. Funny, considering they were at my knees a few minutes ago.

"I thought you were cooler than this, Jay," a skater dude calls out.

"So did I, until I realized you can't trust everyone. Rose helped me find my voice in this school, and I'm sure she's done plenty more for the rest of you," I say. "Kendra, didn't Rose help you win the Iron Warrior Competition? Samuel, she helped you set up a fashion show for your idol and landed you an internship, right? Eleanor, Rose helped you prompose to Miley last year!"

"No one does all these things without expecting anything in return. Obviously those acts were done to get on our good sides."

I shake my head. The truth was as out as it could be, and yet they still won't listen.

"Maybe you don't, but Rose does. Maybe you don't even deserve to be in this school at all." I drop the mic, the feedback reverberating through the auditorium. I feel a hand grip my shoulder. I look up, and Professor Edwin is glaring at me.

"I think this little interview is over," she growls, dragging me to my feet and taking me out of the auditorium. Students start to cheer, the little bastards.

I yell over my shoulder, "I hope all you fuckers see how stupid you're being. Hopefully it won't be too late when you do!"

I see Aiden get up and try to follow me, only for Jessica to grab his arm.

Aiden's POV

"Let go of me," I hiss as Jason disappears behind the doors.

"Trust me, he's nothing but trouble for you," Jessica assures me, her hand around my arm in a vise like grip.

"Like you weren't any worse. _Leave me alone_!"

"Poor baby," Jessica cooes tracing her finger around my bruises. "You've really been brainwashed haven't you? Everyone you thought you could trust has stabbed you in the back more times than you can count. You know I'm your best option, aside from a pig who's already taken and a lying drag king whom I'm pretty sure is responsible for that little bruise you've got here."

"No! You're wrong. Our history goes way deeper than whatever there was between you and I. I was in love with him before I knew for sure I was. What every you and I had, that wasn't love. It never was. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find my boyfriend."

I wrench my hand from her grasp and take off for the main office. When I get to the office, Jason is sitting by himself, his head buried in his face.

"Jay!"

Jason looks up, tears in his eyes. We practically leap into each other's arms.

"Aiden…*sniff*...It was supposed to work, but I blew it...I ruined everything."

"No you didn't Jay. You did the best you could."

"And it still wasn't good enough! Thanks to me, this case is probably going to be dropped and it's all my fault!" Jay chokes as more heaving sobs escape him. "I promised I'd stop anyone from getting hurt by her...I _promised_. But, as usual, I lost my damn temper."

"Jay, don't be so hard on yourself. I still believe in you. Rose still believes in you. Come on, we can still fix this-"

The door swings open.

"I would have thought being kicked out would have taught you a lesson by now, but I see not, Jayda. We're going home. I'm going to end this once and for all," booms the leering voice of Jay's father. I look at Jason. He's too shaken to fight back, with him trembling in my arms.

"Leave Jay alone, Mr. Parker," I say, surprised at my own audacity. "You don't deserve someone as awesome and brave as he is."

grabs my collar and practically throws me to the wall. Wincing, I look up and glare at him.

"Listen you little punk. I know you're responsible for this whole catastrophe with my daughter, and I'll give you one last chance to stay away from her so I can undo whatever damage you've done. Otherwise...you won't like what I'll have my associates do to you."

"Jay, snap out of it!" I plead as Mr. Parker takes his arm and drags him away. "Jay, please, you're not a failure. I love you!"

This seems to work a little, as Jason offers a little resistance and comes back.

"I love you too babe. That's why I need to leave. It'll be better for both of us."

Then, in one final act of defiance, he kisses me passionately before his father yanks us apart. And just like that, my brown haired, blue eyed hero is gone. Rose enters soon after Jason leaves.

"Aiden, I saw what happened, are you ok?"

Who cares?" I blurt out, on the verge of hysteria myself. "Jason's given up on himself. He thinks the interview was a failure. And now, I don't think he'll ever be ok if his dad has his way with him."

"Oh, Aiden," Rose says as she hugs me in a sisterly fashion. A flash goes off, and we turn around and see Jessica in the door, holding her phone tauntingly. Rose grabs the phone and tosses it against a wall. The screen shatters and goes black.

"What the hell, Rose?" she has the nerve to screech.

"What's wrong with you?! Haven't you done enough?" Rose retorts.

"I warned you you'd pay dearly for going against me Rosemary. Trust me, the world isn't even prepared for what I have in store for you all."

"Wait!" I cry out. "I'll do anything you want. Just don't let them hurt Jason."

"Aiden, are you sure about this?" Rose asks me.

"No way I'm letting Jason get hurt for my sake," I insist. Jessica smirks at us.

"How cute, it's just like when we were dating when you'd say that you'd do anything for me to stay away from Rose."

"Wait, you went through hell for me too?" Rose gasps.

"I always had my suspicions. I just never acted on them...well, because I still thought I was in love with the right person. Let's go, Jessica."

"Gladly, _baby_ ," Jessica cooes, giving me a kiss on my bruised cheek as we walk out the office. It feels so unnatural with her kissing me instead of Jason's sweet lips pressed to my skin. "First thing we'd have to do is get rid of Jason's scent on you."

I frown. She can keep me physically away from my boyfriend, but not mentally.

"But I like his scent," I protest. Jessica narrows her eyes at me.

"It makes it seem like you belong to someone else. From now on, you belong to me and me only. Got it?"

"Yes…"

(Sneak Peek of the Next Chapter)

Rose's POV

"Roscoe, where's Ethan?! The trail's in a few days an I think we've lost two of our witnesses already," I press.

"His flight was delayed, and he's doing everything he can to still make it. I'm sure you guys can pull though until he gets there."

"What. . Lost. Two. WITNESSES. Did. You. Not. Get?!"

"Rosebud, I know you're under a lot of stress right now but-"

I hear a piercing scream from the background and then Addison's voice: "Uh, Roscoe? I think my water just broke."

"I thought you weren't due until-"

Another scream.

"I don't think the baby wants to wait any longer- AHH!"

"I'm coming, Addibabe. I'm sorry, Rosebud, I gotta go!"

"Roscoe? ROSCOE!" The line goes dead. I turn to the rest of my friends.

"We'll do everything we can to fix this Rose," Ace assures me.

"We're not leaving your side this time,"Ava adds.

"Count me in," says Wes.

"Thanks guys," I says, trying not to cry. "I know we can get Aiden and Jason back. I just know we can."


	9. Deal With the Devil

**BlackCanrary98: Welp, at least they tried. And Jessica is gonna find out that Aiden is no longer the same person she dated before heh heh heh. Babies almost never seem to come exactly on the due date, do they?**

Rose's POV

Ace catches up to me after school in the parking lot.

"Rosie, need a ride home?" he asks. "We can put your motorcycle in the back."

I smile, grateful that at least I still have some people on my side.

"I'm flattered, but I can drive home myself," I say.

"I know you've had a rough week lately, with your brother having to deal with his new baby and the interview catastrophe."

"It's not me you should be worried about," I say, remembering the scene from early this afternoon. I'm not sure if I'd survive if I were pulled away from my boyfriend like that. "We just have a few more days until the trial, and honestly, I want the whole thing to be done and over with."

"Well, I've been looking into the case and I thought of something that might help…" Ace begins.

"Please don't let it be another interview," I groan. Ace chuckles.

"It's not, I swear. The student body may be under Jessica's control, but I know of some students who might be willing or at least coerced into helping us get more information," he continues, handing me a list of students from all over the district.

"I don't like Lacey, Max and Kara still hate my guts, it's kinda awkward between me and Asher, and I doubt half of these people are still around. Pfft, All-Stars."

" *Ahem* "

"Not _all_ All-Stars are bad, I guess."

"I don't like this as much as you do, but we cannot let her get away with harming our friends like this. At least someone has a bone or two to pick with her. Asher and Max especially."

"Just thinking of either of them gives me the shivers," I moan. "But...I find Asher the lesser evil. I'll go talk to him."

"I'll go see Max."

"Be careful, Ace," I warn him with a kiss for good luck. "Max can be pretty unpredictable with his temper.

"You too. Who knows what Asher's intentions are."

"Bye, sweetie."

"Bye, cutie."

I can't but feel a little guilty in this interaction, knowing full well two of my friends aren't even allowed to be together. I wonder how they're doing.

Jessica's POV

"You know you're ruining this for me by sulking, Aiden," I scold him. He trails 3 feet behind me, carrying my books to my car. Of course I anticipated he'd be unhappy about this arrangement but come on, he was asking for it. He blows his bangs out of his eyes and scowls at me.

"Good," he snaps. "How long do I have to keep this up for?"

"For as long as I tell you to. You agreed to this, remember?"

"I know, but on the condition that Jason would be safe. I want to know where he is," he demands. I laugh. I can't believe it was that easy to convince him to submit to me. Not that I have any control over what Jason's dad does to him, nor do I care. It's cute knowing the extent they're willing to go for each other. Perhaps I can use this to my advantage for a while.

"Probably at home. His dad looked livid when he walked in on the two of you."

Aiden reddens.

"You make it sound like we were having se-"

"Well, maybe you were. Doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned, your body belongs to me and me only," I purr, stroking Aiden's hair. With one hand he drops my books all over the car floor and uses the other to push me away.

"My mother will be wondering where I am."

"As far as she knows, you're still at the shelter. But now, you're coming with me."

"The hell I am!" he protests. I don't know where he got this assertive attitude but I got to break it as soon as possible. I liked Submissive Aiden more than Belligerent Aiden. I grab a fistful of his shirt and pin him against the car door. He flinches, but maintains his fierce glare.

"Get. In. The. Car," I order, growing increasingly frustrated with this boy.

"Make me," he growls. After a brief struggle, I finally get him in the car. " _ **You won't get away with this, Jessica.**_ My friends are going to put a stop to whatever you're gonna do."

"I'm sure this is a cliche for you, but _I already have_. The whole school's against Rose, you, as one of the star witnesses, are out of the picture, and no one is strong enough to take me on by themselves."

"What do you want with me anyway?" he asks. "You don't even like me!"

"Hmm, I think it's time I told you the truth about all this, huh?"

"DUH?!"

"Hush now, Aiden dearie. Or should I say, _babe_? All will be explained when we get to my place."

Out of the corner of my eye, Aiden grinds his teeth and clenches his fist.

" _Only Jason is allowed to call me that._ "

"Trust me. By the time I'm done with you, you won't even remember Jason's name."

We pull up in front of my house. To my disgust, Uma and Ava are already there, making out on the sofa.

"Crap," Uma says. "I almost thought it was someone important. But it's just my bitchy cousin as usual."

She and Ava have the nerve to laugh.

"The two of you won't be laughing at the trial." I say before pulling Aiden into my room.

"If you do anything to Aiden I'll make sure Rose hears about it!" One of them calls after me.

"And do what? Get mad and send her ever-shrinking army after me? Don't make me laugh," I taunt them as the door closes behind me. Aiden is immediately on the defensive.

"I don't care if you try to kill me. Try to take my pants off and I'm screaming."

"Maybe later, but for now, here's what you're going to do. In three days, you're going to issue a statement declaring me innocent on all counts of domestic violence and attempted murder."

"The police literally walked in on you trying to kill me."

"I can just tell them the two of you ganged up on me. After all, who'd believe a sweet wittle girl could ever do such a thing?"

"I'm starting to wonder what the hell I even saw in you in the first place. Oh wait. I didn't you took advantage of the fact that I was upset and used it against me."

"When you say it like that it sounds bad. Look, dating you was an assignment given to me by the most popular entourage in Hollywood U."

"You mean Roscoe, Addison, Ethan and-"

"No! No one cares about those losers! I'm talking about Bianca Stone, Lance and Jenni. They told me if I managed to turn you against everything you loved and stood for, I would get instant access to their entourage when I graduate."

"Assuming you even get into Hollywood U…"

"ANYWAY, it was working until Rose started getting nosy."

"She wanted to protect me."

"I think she did a lousy job at that to be honest. Now, because you didn't get _too_ rebellious today, I have a little reward for you."

"That reward being I can go and be reunited with my boyfriend?" he asks a little too hopefully.

"No! This," I say, pressing my lips to his. He stiffens immediately, refusing to even respond.

"Just think of Jason…" he tells himself. "Just think of Jason."

Jason's POV

My dad is a massive asshole. The minute we got home, he gathered every last one of my binders and boxer shorts and burnt them. Every. Single. One. Luckily my clothes were still at the shelter. I was an hour late to school as a result after my three day suspension, but there was no way I was wearing one of my sister's dresses to school all day.

Unfortunately, students are piling out just as I arrive, so I mad dash to the nearest bathroom and shut the door, my stupid pink dress fluttering behind me.

"Um, miss?" a guy's voice goes. "The ladies bathroom is across from here."

My ears turn red. I turn, ready to go off on the person when I go completely pale.

"J-jason?!" His voice sounds too good to be true.

"Don't look at me!" I blurt out before rushing into a stall.

"He didn't…"

"He did...Look, try not to make a big scene out of this, I'm sure this isn't the first time you've seen me in a dress."

"I haven't seen you in one in a long time, to be honest."

"Ugh...do you know where the duct tape is?"

"You know that's very dangerous for your breathing, right?"

"I don't exactly have much of a choice."

"I thought you...oh."

"Yeah…"

"Look, I wish I could help you, but Jessica's waiting for me."

"Why Jessica?"

"I may or may not have sold my soul to the devil."

"YOU DID WHAT NOW?!" I blurt out, forgetting I was supposed to be in here undercover.

"Now look who's making a big scene. I only did it because I was afraid she'd hurt you," he says, looking at me with those soulful black eyes of his. I shake my head.

"Are you out of your damn mind?! That woman tried to kill you, Aiden!"

"She won't if she thinks I'm under her control again. Things will work out."

"That's what I said before the interview," I groan. "Babe, you know I can handle myself."

"I do, but I was really worried the way you left school days ago. Besides, I only have to endure one more day and then the trial."

"What if you won't be around by then?" I ask, a painful lump swelling in my throat. Aiden takes one of my hands and squeezes it.

"Let's not make that a possibility," he assures me. The gap between our faces shrinks little by little, and it almost seems like we're going to kiss again when a large knock interrupts us.

" _It's been ten minutes, Aiden. Don't make me have to come in there and drag you out._ "

"I think your bitch wants to go for a walk," I whisper snarkily. Aiden snickers in spite of himself and kisses my cheek.

"I promise this'll all be over soon," he says before leaving. I look back at my clothes. Damn, still no duct tape.


	10. Crossroads

**BlackCanary98: There's actually more to Jessica's motive, but I don't think it's time to reveal that yet. As for Aiden, he's trying to face his fears and keep his loved ones out of harm's way, no matter how misguided it seems. And you'll get to see Addison and Roscoe's child in this chapter! :)**

Ace's POV

"Bruh, who's that fancy car belong to?" I overhear one of the skaters ask as a dark-skinned man in an Armani suit steps out of said car. Ethan Blake. My phone buzzes.

EthanBlake: Come outside. We can't talk in the school building. Bring your friends.

AceofHearts: Ok.

I send a group text to Rose, Wes, Ava, Uma, Jason, and Aiden. Hopefully we can reach the latter two. Minutes later, almost all of us are outside.

"Where's Jason?" Rose asks. She picks salad bits out of her hair.

"I don't think I even want to know what happened to you," Ava says.

"Trust me, you don't," she groans. "At least this wasn't even the worst of what I've seen lately. You know people have started calling me The Black Rose and hanging up posters of wanting me expelled?"

"And I thought kids were bad in my time," Ethan remarks. "Not to worry, Ms. Brinkwater, when this trial is done, I'm sure all of this nonsense will stop."

"I hope…" she mutters. I put a hand on her shoulder. Besides Aiden and Jason, she's had it the worst out of all of us.When this is all over, maybe I'll take her on a mini vacation this spring break.

"Are all the people I'm representing here?"

"Almost everyone. Aiden is in Jessica's clutches and Jason's been MIA all morning. Word is it he's hiding out in the janitor's closet."

"Can one of you get him out?" Ethan asks, a little annoyed by the inconvenience.

"I'll go find him," Rose offers.

"Mind if I go with you?" I ask. Perhaps if I'm with her, she'll suffer less harassment. Rose nods without looking at me.

We practically run in the hallway.

"Ace." I hear the pretentious voice of the senior class president from behind.

"Penny," I respond in the same tone.

"I've come to offer your your job back," she says.

"I'm pretty sure that's not your call," I snap. "And I don't have time for this. I quit, remember?"

"I understand you were in a rattled state of mind, of course you were bound to make rash decisions."

"I stand by what I said. Rose doesn't get her jobs back, I won't take mine back."

"Ace, the school needs you," I am surprised to hear Rose say. "You don't have to give up your jobs just because of me."

"I promised I'd be all in with you, and I'm a man of my word."

"That's kinda stupid, Ace. Are you seriously going to let her drag you down like this?" Penny interrupts. "I'm sorry you still have feelings for her after everything's she's done-"

"Which is none of your concern anyway. I chose to quit. Besides, I would never work for a group of people as flaky as you all are."

"It won't take long until Rose starts to ruin your rep too, you know."

Rose turns around, her face red with fury.

"Two words. Fuck. Off." She sneers. Penny looks absolutely livid.

"Y-you can't talk to me like that!" She's obviously surprised at Rose speaking back at someone. Everyone expects her to be quiet and take it. Not this time

"You're a hypocritical bitch, Penny. You've always criticized Ace's work long before Jessica's interview came out. And now that he's finally stood his ground and left, you realize you can't do anything without his help, you want him back. If he says he quits then he quits. You have no say in what he does. Now if you'll excuse us, we have better places to be."

Rose and I walk off with our heads held high. When we are out of sight I look at her.

"Did I go too far? I shouldn't have stepped in, I know, I-"

"Rose...that was awesome!" I say, giving her a tight hug.

"Really?"

"I've never seen Penny look so shocked. Heh, serves her right. Let's go get Jason before Ethan wonders where we are."

We arrive at the janitor's closet but stop short when we hear heavy breathing and panting. Rose and I share a look before looking away, blushing furiously.

"There, there, take deep breaths. Christ, Jay. I told you binding your chest like this was dangerous."

"How...did you find...me?"

"When you didn't show up to music class I got worried. I checked the bathrooms, but you weren't there. I figured this would be my only chance to find you without you know who breathing down my neck."

"Babe, I don't know why you're doing this to yourself."

"If she think she's won...maybe she'll leave everyone else alone."

"Babe…"

"I know. But the trial's tomorrow. Surely I can manage one more day in her presence...Jay?"

"...I'm just...scared...what if she does something horrible to you?"

"We've talked about this this morning. It won't happen if we don't believe it so. Let's talk about something more positive. I have an old suit of mine you can borrow for the trial. I'm sure you'd look great in that."

"Really. I can't wait to see you in it."

"Same to you. Although I prefer seeing you without it too."

"Flirt…"

"You're so cute when you blush like that. It starts from the tip of your nose, to your cheeks, then to the tips of your ears."

At this point, I'm trying not to blush myself from all the fluffiness and Rose is giggling at my expression.

"Umm...occupied?" One of them goes.

"It's us, guys. Its safe to come out," Rose says softly. The door opens and Aiden comes out followed by Jason. His chest is oddly shaped. He indignantly crosses his arms.

"How much of that did you guys hear?" Aiden stammers.

"Enough," I say quickly but my face is as red as my sweater. Rose giggles again. I look at her and grin. To be honest, they acted just like us together...when there weren't other people gawking at us. Its kinda cute, but I would never admit that to Rose. "Ethan's waiting for us."

"Who's Ethan?" They both ask.

"You'll see. Come on," I say as we shuffle as fast as we can out of the school building. "I've always wondered why the school doesn't have security cameras to prevent a bunch of teenagers from randomly leaving in the middle of the day to prepare for a trial against their tormentor."

"Oddly specific question, but apparently that never came up during the designing process. My dad did the architecture, but I designed the layout and the hangouts."

Ethan taps his foot as we arrive. I guess he's used to working with big shot clients like Roscoe, not high schoolers like us.

"Quick detour before we get to the suite. Roscoe just texted me to tell be his daughter's been born and...Holy crap...he's going to propose to Addison...but he keeps chickening out."

"I've never known Roscoe to be afraid of anything. Let's get to the hospital and encourage him," Rose says. "After that, we'll start prepping for the trial."

"Why wait? I've trained Roscoe from behind the wheel numerous times," Ethan says, getting into his car. A collective groan rises from the group. "Less moaning, more prepping."

Roscoe's POV

I grip the velvety black box in my hand.

"Come on, Ross. You've dated this girl for years now. Quit being a wuss and just propose to her!" I tell myself. "But...what if she says no? What if she still blames me for doing this to her? What if I'm not ready? Gah, I sound like an idiot talking to myself. Do I do that often?"

I notice another man staring at me as he passes by. Yeah, I do that a lot. I look at the box inside. I bought an expensive ring months ago and yet I can't even tell Addison that I want to be hers forever!

"Ross!" I head Rose call out. She rushes into me as I pick her up and swing her around. "Dude. I'm like, 16. I'm too old for this. Besides, we have other things to talk about."

"Well, now that the baby is born, you have me full-"

"No, not that!" Rose says, pointing to the box in my hands. "I'm talking about you proposing to Addison!"

"Ethan, you told them?!" I turn on my agent/best friend.

"You never said not to," Ethan replies with a smirk.

"Ross, it really seems like you love Addison if you've been with her for so long. How long are you going to keep her waiting?" Rose insists. "And might I remind you, having an unmarried young mother on your hands is not a good look for either of you."

"...you're right. But really...I can start in big movies and win the gold, but what if I can't win Addi's heart?"

"You already have, Roscoe. Now go and prove it to her. Also...I really want to see my new niece."

Her eagerness is something I haven't seen in her for a long time. It makes me chuckle. I take a deep breath.

"Ok...I'm ready. But first I have to make a few changes."

As I run off, Ethan calls after me, "Don't do anything stupid, Roscoe!"

Why does he always say that to me?

A much larger gift in hand I guide the others into the maternity ward. There she is. My beautiful blonde angel lies in the bed with our daughter in her arms. She smiles when she sees me.

"Roscoe…" she says tiredly. I don't blame her. Turns out we had several false alarms before she went into hours of labor in the past couple of days. So, yeah, she's a day early, not that it matters, really.

"Addison," I say back, trying not to cry at the scene in front of me. Rose will never let me hear the end of it. I crouch down to get a look at our daughter. She has a mix of my cocoa skin and Addi's fair skin, but curly brown hair like mine. She got Addi's hazel eyes, though. My daughter looks up at me and tries to reach for me.

"She's perfect," Addison gasps.

"I know. Just like you," I respond, placing the gift in front of her. Addison hands me the baby so she can open the gift. I give her to Rose so I can initiate the next phase of my plan. Addison pulls out a jewelry box. Inside of it are all the treasures we've collected over the years together. Ticket stubs, pictures, you name it. Addison's eyes widen when she picks up a card.

"Addibabe," she reads. "These past years we've known each other I've been on an emotional rollercoaster. You've been like my rock this whole time, whether it's stopping me from punching Brian Ratzik in the face (he totally deserved it for treating my queen like trash) or simply being there when I wanted to give up and head back home. I loved nearly every minute of our time together even through your pregnancy...but I think it's time we stopped being boyfriend and girlfriend...because I want us to be husband and wife."

Addison sits there in shock as I get down on one knee.

"I've been in love with you for a very long time, and I know I should have asked this a long time ago, but Addison Sinclair, will you marry me?"

We all wait with baited breath for Addison's response.

Just when I start to think this was a terrible idea, I hear her whisper, "Yes."

"W-what?"

"Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes, Roscoe!" Addison exclaims, throwing her arms around me. Rose and her friends cheer in the back. Even our little daughter seems to be smiling at us. We spend the next few hours just celebrating.

"Ethan, this is exciting and all, but should we get back to the trial?" I head Rose ask.

"I know but...let's just enjoy this moment of peace for a little while longer," he says with a smile. "We could use more of these in the days coming ahead."


	11. Thinking of the Future

**BlackCanary98: I'm glad you liked the proposal and the new baby. And yes, it's about time Rose showed the students at Lakeside High who they were messing with.**

Aiden's POV

After hours of extensive drills and questioning to get our stories straight, I finally manage to evade Jessica and her nosy questions asking me where I was and get home.

I find a note on the door, written in Chinese.

 _Precious,_

 _We aren't home right now, but we left a spare key in the plants if you did decide to stop by. We miss you very much and home you come back soon. If not...I guess we'll see you at the trial._

 _Love,_

 _Mom and Dad._

There are several notes like these on the door, each of them looking less than a day apart. I feel a pang of guilt for leaving so suddenly and for so long. I'd been gone for 2 or 3 weeks at the most and I've only spoken to my mother once while I was sick. To be honest, I was so pissed at my mom for believing Jessica over me that I wasn't even sure I even wanted to come home again. But now...I think I ought to make things right with my parents. But first…

 _Mom,_

 _If I'm not back by the time you come home, just know I'll be there soon, and I'm bringing Jason here with me._

 _Aiden_

Jason's half asleep when I get to the shelter. He looks up at me with his sleepy blue eyes.

"Babe, Ethan let us go an hour ago. Where were you?" He moans groggily.

"Home. My parents miss me...and I kinda miss them. But I didn't want to go back without you. So...What do you say?"

"I don't know...what if your parents don't approve of me?"

"I think they know you well enough to know you aren't a threat."

"Well...count me in, then...but...I have to say goodbye to someone first."

He takes me into a room decorated with sparkles and princesses.

"Summer...psst! Summer!"

A little girl peeks out from under the covers. She beams at Jason as she jumps out and gives him a hug.

"Jay-Jay," she squeals, clinging to Jay's leg. "Do you want to have a tea party?"

Jay smiles sadly at her.

"Summer...I'm afraid I can't do any more tea parties with you."

Summer's face droops. Her lip starts to tremble.

"Are you...going away?" she asks, on the verge of tears.

"Yes," he sighs. "I'll still come and visit you."

She starts to whimper a little and I can't help but feel a little bad for her.

"Jay-Jay, I don't want you to leave! You're like a big brother to me."

"Aiden...while you were with Jessica, I've been spending a lot of time with Summer. She's a really sweet kid," Jay whipers, looking torn. "When you were badly hurt and unconcious, she was the first person who talked to me. She's been through the same things, I have, and she's just a kid!"

"I won't make you come with me if you don't want to, Jay."

"Believe me, I do...but, I'm worried. My dad is bad enough, but I'm 17. At least I can handle it. But kids like Summer...they don't deserve this…"

He kneels down and sweeps Summer up into a big hug and holds her tight. Summer is crying softly, her breath making sudden hiccuping noises.

"J-jay...I'll miss you," she sniffs.

"I'll miss you too, kiddo. Here, I'll give you my phone number. You can call me anytime, I'll visit as soon as I can," Jay says. "I have to go now. Good-bye…"

Summer reluctantly pulls away from Jason and heads back to bed. Jason is silent the whole way back to my house. I turn to him.

"Ready to meet my parents...again?"

"Yeah...I'm ready," he says with a small smile. Before I even knock, the door opens and my mother scoops me up in her arms.

"Hi, mom…" I say, a little smothered in her embrace.

"Precious, I thought you'd never come back."

"Me neither. But at least I'm here now. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"I shouldn't have turned against my own son...after I promised I wouldn't"

"I know you just want what's best for me, mom."

"Aiden, can you ever forgive me?"

"Well...it's gonna take some time...but yeah," I respond. I step back so my parents see Jason. "Mom, Dad, this is Jason...my boyfriend."

"Pleasure to meet you," Jay stammers, awkwardly holding out his hand. My parents just stare.

"Uh...this is the guy I was talking to you about on the phone earlier?"

"To be honest I thought you were joking," my dad comments. Jason and I both turn red.

"Dad!"

"Not that I have a problem with you having a boyfriend or anything.." he tries to backpedal.

"It's just...I thought it's too soon after... _her_ ," my mom cuts in.

"I know... but we have history with each other," I insist, linking my hands in his. "He's been there for me in my darkest we feel for each other, it couldn't have been coincidence If it wasn't for him...I don't think I'd even be here right now. And now, I need him more than ever."

My parents whisper among each other before turning to us.

"Well," my dad says to Jason. "It seems my son really trusts you, young man. Try not to lose it."

They let us in and we head to my room. Everything looks untouched, like neither of my parents came in since I left. My piano is right where it always is. I brush my hand against the keys slowly.

"Just think," Jason whispers. "You'll be playing in front of big audiences in no time."

He wraps his arms around my waist, his fingers lingering.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask coyly.

"I missed you," he says, want glimmering in his eyes. "A lot more than I thought I would."

"Me too," I respond. "But we should probably head to bed now."

"Great idea…"

"You know my parents are downstairs, right?"I remind him teasingly. "As much as I'd love to see how much you miss me, I don't want things to become anymore awkward in my family."

"I see your point," he replies. "I don't want us to be late for the trial."

I smile at him, then frown.

"Jason...I just want things to go back to normal. I want to be back in band, doing what I always do. I want us to be together all the time, without people trying to get between us. But most of all, I just want my peace of mind back. I feel like my life isn't even mine anymore…"

Jay says nothing, just holding me close in the dark silence as we lie on the bed and try to fall asleep.

Ava's POV

I wake up to the sound of Uma giggling under the covers. I pull them off and she's there, lying on my stomach.

"What's so funny?" I ask with a smirk.

"You must be a heavy sleeper if you didn't hear all that noise your stomach was making for the past 30 minutes. You must be starving," she laughs, giving me a sweet kiss. "Come on, we have a big day today."

"Aren't you worried your mother's going to find us?" I ask, remembering the last time I saw Uma and her mother interact.

"She's in Paris right now. She won't be here," Uma says, leading me into the kitchen. Jessica glares at the two of us, but says nothing. Uma gives me another kiss on the cheek just to spite her. Jessica turns red and leaves.

"Good riddance," I mumble. "My God, I'll be glad to be rid of her when this trial is over."

"Me too," Uma whispers. "But...I'm kinda worried. If Jessica goes to jail, then what happens to me and my family? My mother loves Jessica, but me… I'm her lezbo disgrace. She's been trying to set me up with boys I'll never like. If she can't focus on making Jessica the daughter she's always wanted in me...what if she won't let me see you anymore?"

"Oh, Uma…" I trail off. I didn't want to lose her. I couldn't. Especially not after all I've been through with Rose.

 _"Where are you?" I demanded. "Don't you care about your friends at all?"_

 _"I'm getting there," Cruz said, his tone faltering. "Don't hurt them."_

 _I laughed a rather patronizing laugh. I sneered, "How humorous. The boy of the family that thrives on hurting others doesn't want me to hurt his loved ones. It's a shame really. I actually liked Rose before she decided to side with you. And get this: The poor fool thinks you're in love with her. But we both know that isn't the case, is it Cruz? You'd sooner tear her heart out again than admit you return her feelings."_

 _I knew I was lying to myself. Cruz was crazy about her. And she was about him_.

 _"That's not true," Ace retorted. "I…I…"_

 _"Leave him alone!" Rose yelled from a distance. I pulled the trigger and fired a warning shot in the air. Rose started sobbing uncontrollably while Wes tried to console her._

" _It's ok, Rose, you're fine," he whispered to the trembling girl._

 _"Shut up!" I yelled. "Next time I'll aim at you two. Now, Cruz. Try not to piss me off like your 'special girl' made the mistake of doing. And do me a favor. Come alone and unarmed. No police either."_

 _"Only if you promise to put your gun down when I get there and let Rose and Wes go," he agreed, slowly breathing. "Let's not make this any worse than it already is."_

 _"I'll put the gun down when I don't see yours," I hissed. "Hurry up. My patience is wearing thin."_

 _I paced the warehouse floor, waiting for Cruz to arrive. Rose looked at me._

" _Ava...why are you doing this? We're friends…" she cried softly. I didn't answer. Cruz arrived soon after and was confronted by an old ally of mine._

 _"You're the one who kidnapped Rose and Wes…" he said, his voice shaking with anger._

 _"Ace?" Rose sniffed. "Is that really you?"_

 _Wes responded, "Of course it is. I told you he'd come though."_

 _"Liar, you had doubts too."_

 _"SHUT UP!" My voice wailed through the warehouse. The lights flashed on."You've messed with me for the last time, Cruz. Now let's see what happens when I take something of yours."_

 _I aimed the gun in their direction. I didn't know what I was thinking at the moment, but at that point, I had lost all self control and channelling all my rage at Cruz towards the people he cared most about in this world._

 _"You promised you wouldn't hurt them!" Ace accused._

 _"Well, I had my fingers crossed." A twisted smile formed on my lips. Cruz looked livid._

 _"You bitch!" Before he's even aware of what's happening, he broke free from Razor's grasp and charged toward the two._

 _At this point, I saw red. He used her...he lied to her...he betrayed her...and yet she gave him a second chance. I won't let him hurt Rose again._

" ** _Get...away...from...her!_** " _My mind seemed to be screaming as I pulled the trigger several times._

 _"Ace, stop!" Wes cried before the gunshots rang in the air. "Dude. You're bleeding."_

 _The smoke cleared, and I nearly gasp in horror when I see what I've done. Cruz is holding his side, a bullet lodged in his torso. Blood seeps through his fingers. He looked up at his friends' worried expressions._

 _"I-it's not as bad as it looks, guys. Honest," he lied, his voice shaking. He turned his attention to me, his eyes narrowed. "I can't believe you actually shot me."_

 _"I wasn't aiming for you that time," she spluttered, turning beet red. Damn, I'm pathetic. "It's your fault you got in the way. Now this time hold still as I destroy the things you care about most in this world."_

 _I aimed the gun for Wes and Rose ready to finish what I started, but Ace stood in front of them protectively, in spite of the sharp pain lingering at his side. His hazel eyes locked with my emerald ones, matching my tense stare. He took a tentative step forward. I involuntary gasped and held the gun fearfully, worried he was going to retaliate._

 _"Stay back! I will shoot if I have to again!" I ordered._

 _"Don't do anything reckless, buddy," Wes cautioned, removing one arm from Rose's trembling body to reach out to his friend._

 _A small bubble of hysteria forces a chuckle out of him. "I'm not going to kill her," he said, grinning in an unnerving manner. "I'm going to make sure everyone makes it out alive tonight. Put the gun down, Ava, before you make things worse for the both of us...Ow...this kinda smarts…"_

 _"Never! You deserve to suffer for what you did! You're just like your family," I gasped, gritting my teeth in a way almost akin to a snarl. Wes looked at me as if she had gone some sort of mental. I might as well have. Why was I bringing up his family? They have nothing to do with why we're here tonight._

 _Rose jumped up to yell, "He is nothing like his family, you-"_

 _Ace raises his hand to silence her, saying softly, "I got this, Rosie. Now, what do you mean, I'm just like my family?"_

 _"You and your family only care about yourselves," I sneered. "You take advantage of people. You get them to trust you then stab them in the back. Just like yours did to mine!"_

 _"Wait, what?" Ace asked, a bit confused. "I thought you were just mad at me beating you at everything and nearly closing down Lakeside High."_

 _I laughed bitterly, saying, "You thought this was about an academic rivalry? Our parents were partners in that little store you guys owned. Then, once the money really started piling in, you dumped us and left us with nothing. We even lost the lawsuit for our deserved settlement. Now guess who they pin their remaining hopes and dreams on? Me!"_

 _I was so hurt, confused and mad. I never cared about Cruz's family treating us like trash. That's what made my family a bunch of assholes in the first place._

 _"Ava...I know you're upset and all, but he'll bleed out if you don't let us take him to a hospital," Rose pleaded._

 _"Too bad," I snapped. "You and your little friend can just die with him! I thought you were my friend. But I guess if there's one good thing about Cruz showing up at this school, it's that I've learned who my true friends are."_

 _My eyes stung with angry tears. How could Rose so easily trust someone who'd done her dirty over someone she's known her whole life?_

 _"Spare us the waterworks, Edwards," Wes scoffed. "No friend of hers would ever put the lives of her loved ones on the line like you just did. Especially when she had nothing to do with this."_

 _"Why, you...you rotten old hood rat!" Ava splutters, flushing red with rage._

 _"I've been called worse," Wes shrugged. "Put the gun down."_

 _"We can work this out," Cruz tried to reason with me. "Just let us go and I won't even get the police involved...if you really care about Rose, you won't let me die here."_

 _I looked between Cruz and Rose. My sweet, trusting Rose. And Cruz, deceitful and undeserving of her love._

 _"Rose..." I mumbled, putting the gun to my side and slowly moving my hand away from the trigger. Then I remembered the plan. My dad wanted revenge of Cruz's parents. I wanted revenge on Cruz himself._

 _"It's not too late to do the right thing," she said._

 _"I'm doing this for your own good!" I yelled before firing from a separate gun in Cruz's direction. He drops to the ground in a heap._

 _"Ace, no!" Rose cried, clasping her hands over her mouth._

 _"I can't move!" he gasped "What did you do to me?!"_

 _"Calm down, it's only a stun gun," I growled before turning to Rose and Wes, both looking at me with bewilderment. "Now get out of here. And just to make sure you don't go running to the police, I'll be taking Cruz here with me."_

 _I dragged him up to his feet and led him to the other side of the warehouse. Ace looked towards Rose, on the verge of tears._

 _"Wait..." Ace mumbled. "At least let me talk to my friends...one last time."_

 _"Fine...but make it quick," I grumbled reluctantly, keeping my distance but keeping an eye on him. I let him fall, but Rose managed to catch him before he hit the ground. He looked up at her watery eyes._

 _He whispered something to her, and she frowned._

 _"Ace, we've been through hell and back with each other. You can't just expect me to forget that it never happened. Like we never happened," she protested, biting her lip._

 _"Fine...then just remember the good times we had," he said. For a second, his mouth quirked up in a playful smirk. "Especially the really good times."_

 _She blushed and wistfully replied, "This would be the part where you'd wrap your arms around my waist, trail kisses on my cheek, down my neck and on my collarbone."_

 _He smiled weakly and continued, "Then I'd sneak my hands up your shirt and tickle you so much you laughed until you started trying to do the same back. Until you realized I wasn't as ticklish as you are."_

 _"And I'd love seeing a different side to you. One that wasn't so focused on pleasing others and more like an actual teenage guy," she said, tearing up a bit. "God, you've really got me feeling some type of way this whole time."_

 _"I have that effect on people," he said, mustering up a grin. Rose cupped his cheek, tilted his head upwards, and pressed her lips onto his. The whole image is heartbreaking to me. I know it's selfish of me to think this, but I felt it should have been me kissing her, not Cruz. But I never told her the truth until it was too late._

 _"Gross...Hurry it up with the PDA!" I snapped uncontrollably, impatiently tapping my foot. They ignored me and took their time. He gazed at her; her caramel skin, her chocolate eyes, her wild pink hair. When she finally pulled back, she looked at him, taking him in one last time._

 _"Goodbye, Ace."_

 _"Goodbye Rose." he paused for a moment. "Iloveyou."_

 _"What?" Her eyes widened in shock._

 _"I said... I...love you," he managed to utter. "There, I said it. Now you never have to wonder."_

 _"That's the first time you've said that to me," she says, smiling tearfully._

 _"It's the first time I've said that to anyone...who wasn't my mother."_

 _At this point I've had enough and decided to pull the two apart._

 _"Ok, you've had your fun, now quickly say goodbye to Wes so we can get out of here," I growled._

 _Giving Rose another kiss goodbye, he turned his attention to Wes._

 _"Dude," Wes said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe it's all come to this."_

 _"We had a good run, all these years. At least I know I won't be leaving you on a bad note. Heh, unlike before," Ace remarked, struggling to regain movement of his upper body._

 _His voice choking a little, Wes coughed, snapping, " Quit saying stuff like that. You're gonna make me cry. And I will hurt you if you make me cry."_

 _"Then don't. And thanks."_

 _"For what?"_

 _"For giving me a second chance when no one else would. Not sure how I would have ended up if Rose decided not to let me back in the school. "_

 _"Manila?"_

 _"No!" He inadvertently yelped, paling again._

 _"Sorry. I forgot about that winter in seventh grade where your dad sent you to that boarding school for getting a B on that test."_

 _"Yes. I hated that place and I never wanted to go back."_

 _Interesting he mentioned that..._

 _"I guess this is it."_

 _"...Damn it, Ace. Just give me a hug before I end up bawling."_

 _As he did so, Wes's tone became shushed, and I couldn't make out what he was saying._

 _"Alright, time for us to get out of here, Cruz. Trust me, you won't be seeing these guys for a long time," I interrupted them._

 _"That's what you think, Ava," Ace mutters under his breath, a whisper of a smirk on his face._

 _"I don't know what you're smiling about, Cruz, because when I'm done with you, you're gonna wish those pills worked," I threatened, dragging him out of the warehouse._

 _The story should've ended there, but it didn't when he found out the real reason why I was targeting him. I was head over heels in love with his girlfriend and was too scared to tell her. I later accused him of failing to be there for Rose when she needed him, referring to the incident at Statton. I knew about it because it was all over social media. I apparently struck a nerve, because he actually broke down crying as a result._

 _That's when I realized...he really does love her, if her being hurt caused his anguish. I almost felt bad. But I was on a mission. A mission that would've gone through if Rose hadn't shown up when she did and put herself in danger. When her motorcycle fell on her, my heart stopped. I thought she was dead, or on her way to being dead. Cruz nearly lost it, taking his anger out on me. I shouldn't have reacted. I deserved it. But I lashed back at Cruz, causing him to end up hospitalized and undergoing surgery. My family left the country that day, leaving me stranded. After she was conscious, Rose - of all people- let me stay with her._

" _I'm not excusing what happened, Ava," she said. "But I want to know why you did it. Was it...was it because you had a crush on me?"_

 _I burst into tears then when she asked. She started crying too._

" _Rose...I'm so sorry," I sobbed. "I never got enough nerve to ask you out...to tell you how I truly felt. I was mad at Cruz for hurting you, but I was even more mad at the fact that you still had feelings for him anyway. Then, I saw that he truly cares about you. I shouldn't have gotten in between that…"_

"Ava…" Uma breaks into my flashback. "You're crying."

"Jeez, it's not a big of a deal," I lie. I wipe my tears away.

"You're thinking about Rose, aren't you?" She says.

"Uma, I'm so worried about the future, now. What if I lose it again and no one's able to stop me? I nearly _killed_ someone out of jealousy. Someone I had a crush on nearly _died_ because of me."

"That was then, this is now," Uma gently reminds me. "I don't care what my mother or anyone else thinks of us. I'm staying with you no matter what."

(Sneak Peek of the Next Chapter)

Rose's POV

Well, here it is, the day of the trial. I smooth out my newly styled hair. They want to see a Black Rose, they're going to get a Black Rose.

 **AceofHearts: Rosie, I'm starting to get a headache. I feel like I'm going crazy because of this trial.**

 **RadiantRose: Wish I could teleport over to your house and kiss all the pain away**

 **AceofHearts: I know...Ethan's picking us up in a limo, we'll be in front of the house in five minutes.**

I give myself a good once over before heading to the door, where the limo pulls up. All the windows roll down, and everyone's jaw drops at my appearance.

" _Damn_ , Rose…" Wes says. I can't tell if he's pleased or surprised.

"Holy crap…"

"Woah…"

"Are we at the wrong house?"

"We might was well start calling you Roseblossom instead of Rosebud," Ace comments, making me blush. "Jessica and her crew won't know what hit them."


	12. Shattered Confidence

**BlackCanary98: Yes, I think it's about time I reunited Aiden with his parents after so long apart. They are still wary of Jason, especially considering the news about his transition, but since Aiden trusts him, so do they. Ava's flashback was quite sad, especially since in the original version of Fall From Grace told from Ace's perspective portrays her as a heartless monster. She really has become a better person after all that. Mostly, at least.**

Ace's POV

Have I died and gone to heaven? Has Rose been transformed into a beautiful angel? Rose sits next to me in the limo. Her bouncy pink hair is wavy and glistens in the sun. Her makeup is sparse but brings out her best facial features. She's wearing a red blouse with a matching skirt. She kisses me on the cheek and gives me a dazzling smile.

"Ready to win?" She asks me.

"Uh...uh…" I stammer, my face turning a bright red.

"What Ace means to say is, hell yeah," Wes interrupts surreptitiously reaching for something in the mini fridge.

"If just one bottle of champagne is missing, Burnett, I'll have no problem reporting you to the police for underage drinking," Ethan says without turning his head.

"17's close to 18, right? And I look older than 18 anyway," Wes responds, obviously upset at being caught.

"Wes."

"Fine…"

Ethan smirks. "Trust me, Wes. I've been at this game longer than you have."

Rose turns to me.

"Ace, you look tired. Did you get enough sleep last night?" She asks.

"There were some people outside my house making so much noise...they had firecrackers...they sounded like gunshots…"

"Oh, Ace…" She brushes a loose strand of hair out of my face. "Are you ok?"

"A little shaken up, but I'll be fine, Rosie," I say. To be honest, I feel a little lightheaded, but I'm sure it's nothing. We pull up at a diner next to the courthouse. Everyone is staring at us when we come out. I recognize a few students from Lakeside. They whisper rather loudly amongst themselves.

"Is that Rose?"

"Why does she look so different?"

"Probably used her boyfriend's money, the little gold digger."

"Maybe she's representing who she really is on the outside as well as the inside."

"Yes," I interrupt their not so secret conversation. "A queen. My queen."

I link my arm with Rose's and take her into the diner. She tries not to show it, but she's smiling a little.

"You really think I'm a queen?" she whispers shyly to me. I brush a kiss on her lips.

"Of course not," I whisper back. "I know you are."

We sit at a table in the back, hounded by reporters and paparazzi.

"Mr. Cruz, tell us why you continue to stay with Rose after all she's done to you?"

"Actually, she-"

"Ms. Edwards! Are the rumors surrounding your romantic relationship with Jessica's cousin Uma Nguyen true?"

"Who told you-"

"Mr. Zhou, how do you feel being in the middle of what looks like a love square? Is there anyone you're leaning towards?"

"But I'm dating-"

"Ms. Parker-"

"I'm a dude, asshole!"

"Whatever, kid. The people want details on your transition? Is it for real or is it all a ploy for attention?"

"I don't think that's any of your-"

They keep pelting us with questions and snapping pictures of us. One of them I recognize as the same rude girl who insulted Rose while we were shopping for a cake for my birthday. She shoves her cell phone in front of Rose's face.

"Hey, Ms. Brinkwater, how does it feel going in the complete opposite direction as your super famous brother Roscoe?"

"Ever heard of innocent until proven guilty? I know you aren't a real reporter,"she snaps, smacking the phone out of her hand. Ethan winces. That was a poor move on her part. This only makes her look even worse than she already is. The reporters are having a field day. The girl scowls and snatches her phone back.

"Geez, Jessica was right about you," she sneers.

"Lauren!?" Rose gasps.

"Rose." her voice is cool and clipped. "I was hoping I'd seen the last of you. I have to say, you don't look half as atrocious as you usually do."

"I see you're still doing Jessica's dirty work," Rose retorts. Ethan gives Rose a stern look, making a cutting motion over his throat with his hands.

"Please. I dumped her weeks ago before your little boyfriend's party. When I'm done here, she'll be the one begging to take me back."

"Done doing what?" I demand. Ethan is overtly clearing his throat, trying to get us to shut up. Our "audience" is eating up this drama.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," she taunts, sashaying away. " Oh, and if you see Jessica, tell her Asher says hi~."

The reporters grow bored and soon leave. The rest of our group stares at me and Rose.

"Ugh...I messed up, didn't I?" Rose groans.

"Hey, at least you didn't smash her face in with your plate and douse her with your drink," Aiden comments, causing everyone to glare at him. "Oh...sorry."

"Let's...just head to the courthouse…" Rose says quietly.

When we get there, Jessica, her lawyer, and a bunch of her fans are already there. I lace my fingers with Rose's as we pass the jeering students.

"When the trial starts," Ethan says. "Each and every one of you has to be focused. That means no joking around, no stealth kissing when you think no one's looking. And Aiden, I know this is going to be hard for you, but at some point you will have to testify and point out Jessica...that means actually looking at her."

"I know," Aiden says softly.

"Don't worry, babe. I promised I'd stick with you no matter what. And that's what I plan to do," Jason comforts him ruffling his hair. Aiden smiles a little, a blush starting to creep onto his cheeks. When Ethan isn't looking, I see Jay sneak his arm around Aiden's waist.

I zone out during the opening statements. Ethan seems to know what he's doing. They call me to the stand. They swear me in.

"Bartholomew de la Cruz, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God?"

"Yeah."

Ethan approaches the stand.

"Mr. Cruz, what is your relationship with the accused?"

"She's my girlfriend's bully."

"How long has she been bullying the plaintiff-"

"OBJECTION," interrupts Jessica's lawyer. "Mr. Cruz cannot testify about how long this alleged "bullying" has occurred unless he was actually with the plaintiff at the time."

"Withdrawn," Ethan grumbles. "When did Rose-"

"Objection! Why are we suddenly on a first-name basis?"

"When did Ms.Brinkwater first tell you about what was happening?"

"The day the students from Oliver Berry High transferred here. A week before my birthday, January 5th."

"What did she tell you?"

"Objection!" goes Jessica's freaking lawyer again. "He's leading the witness!"

"Overruled, Mr. Price. Watch yourself," the judge shuts him down. The lawyer scowls and sits down.

"She at first didn't want to tell me, but I later found out about how Jessi- the defendant is the main reason for her previous eating disorders."

"Have you had any interactions with the defendant during this time period?"

"Yes. She stalked me and Ms. Brinkwater at the mall once. She interrupted one of my dates with Ro- Ms. Brinkwater.She cornered me in the nurse's office in school and...kissed me," I admit, hoping Ethan won't go any further.

I swear I hear Mr. Price snort. Asshole. I narrow my eyes at him.

"Mr. Cruz, have you seen the defendant physically harm Ms. Brinkwater?"

Before Mr. Price can object, I answer.

"Yes," I respond through gritted teeth. "She punched my girlfr- Ms.Brinkwater in the stomach in an altercation."

"Has she been violent with Ms. Brinkwater since?"

"No."

"That will be all, Mr. Cruz," Ethan says before returning to his seat. "No further questions, your honor.

Mr. Price soon takes Ethan's place. He leers at me. I wonder how much money he was paid to do this.

"Mr.Cruz, has Ms.Brinkwater ever lied to you?" he asks. I swallow hard.

"Yeah…"

"How often does she lie?"

"When she's trying to protect me. Ignorance is bliss, right?" I answer. Mr.Price doesn't look amused.

"What makes you think she wasn't lying to you about Jessica bullying her?"

"Because she was clearly traumatized. And I believe her."

"Ok, let's go through a timeline of the past two months. What happened when you first saw the defendant?"

"She hugged Ms.Brinkwater. Ms.Brinkwater freaked out and...threw her into a fountain…"

"Seems a bit excessive, don't you think?"

"Objection," Ethan states calmly. "Leading the witness."

"Sustained."

"Let me rephrase," the lawyer says. "Was Ms.Brinkwater's reaction justified?"

"If you knew the things she's been put through, I'm pretty damn sure it was justified!" I snap. Ethan cringes. The others shift uncomfortably in their seats. I lock eyes with Rose. She looks away.

"Careful, Mr. Cruz," the judge chides me. "Watch your mouth or I'll hold you in contempt of court."

Mr. Price smirks as he says, "Seems you have a thing for wild women, Mr.Cruz. Now, on this alleged date of yours that the defendant ruined, what did she do to ruin it?"

"She crashed our date with her ex boyfriend Mr. Zhou."

"Well, my client days that Ms.Brinkwater committed an aggravated assault against her in which she poured a drink all over her and threw food at her. Is this true?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Did Ms.Brinkwater apologize for her actions?"

"She didn't need to-"

"Moving on to the fight that occurred. Why did my client engage in such an altercation with Ms. Brinkwater?"

"Uh...um...we set her up to it?"

"Who's we?"

"M-me and Wesley Burnett."

"Why?"

"We needed evidence against her so she'd leave Ms.Brinkwater alone."

Mr.Price turns to the judge.

"Your honor, I have reason to believe that Mr. Bartholomew de la Cruz is an unreliable witness."

"On what grounds?" the judge asks.

"For starters, his history with the district student council. Second, he has admitted to Ms.Brinkwater's apparent dishonesty and to attempting to frame my client. And third...is the fact that it's come to my attention that he's suffering from PTSD."

"W-what?!" I splutter. The judge looks at me.

"Is this true, Mr. Cruz?"

"Ugh, yes."

"Has your mental illness been a hindrance to your everyday life?"

"Of course not!" I retort. The judge narrows his eyes at me. Mr.Price's eyes glimmer with smugness.

"Your honor, I have in my possession several accounts from students detailing Mr. Cruz's irrational behavior. This includes, but is not limited to: blank stares, hyperventilation, cryptic ramblings, and being prone to fits of anger."

I want him to be so, so wrong, but he's so, so right about everything! My blood boils with outright rage.

Price continues, "Mr. Cruz, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I'm not the one on trial here...and yes. It's true, but I'm determined not to let my setbacks define me," I say though gritted teeth.

"If I may ask, what causes this behavior in you?"

"Objection," Ethan interjects. "Relevance."

"Overruled. Answer the question, Mr. Cruz."

"It's caused...by what I went through after the student Council disbanded."

"Care to elaborate?"

I sigh.

"Let's just say people weren't happy with my actions. I almost lost the people closest to me...I almost saw my loved one die in my arms."

My eye threaten to fill with tears, but I blink them back.

"And how did that happen?"

"She was on her motorcycle...she was trying to save me...the car hit her and her motorcycle fell on her, knocking her unconscious…"

I sharply inhale when I envision Rose's limp body in my arms. Suddenly, I'm frozen into place. Oh God, not again.

Mr.Price's voice gets fainter and fainter.

I don't remember much of what happened, but when I come to, Rose and Ethan are standing over me.

"Ace, are you alright?" Ethan asks, concern all over his face.

I get up. Mr.Price is shuffling his papers. He hides his gleeful smirk when he sees me.

"I see you're back from nap time, Mr. Cruz?" He taunts cooly. "Your Honor, I think we can all agree that Mr. Cruz is incapable of giving a solid testimony…"

"Actually...Let's have A 30 minute recess so Mr.Cruz can recompose himself. If nothing changes, then I'll consider dismissing the witness."

Rose turns to me worriedly.

"Ace-"

"I need some air," I say quickly, brushing past everyone and heading into the men's room. Thankfully it's empty. Someone knocks on the other side.

"Ace? It's Wes. You doing OK in there?"

"Yes…" I growl, glaring at my reflection.

I'm already blowing this case badly because of my stupid PTSD! The whole courtroom must think I'm crazy. Not that I blame them. What the hell did someone like Rose see in me? I glower at myself in the mirror. I see pre-Council me, selfish and cruel. Then I see post-Council me, bruised, a shell of my former self. I see myself the night I had that awful hallucination. My eyes are ringed and red. My hair's messy and out of place. My entire body is shaking. Finally, I see myself now, all dressed up in some fancy suit...who the fuck did I think I was fooling? My dad was right, I am a screw up and a disappointment. I try to contain my anger -at myself, at my dad, at Jessica, at everyone who ever doubted us- but I can't help it.

My fist shoots into the mirror, shattering it almost immediately. I recoil, clutching my now bleeding hand in my other hand. Wes pound on the door.

"Ace, I don't know what the hell that was I just heard, but I'm coming in," he says, opening the door. He freezes when he sees the broken mirror and my bloody hand. "Oh my God, Ace. Your hand."

"I know," I hiss. "Look, don't tell Ethan about this. I'll be fine."

"Ace...this is far from fine. We need to get you some help."

"I don't need any help!" I snap, a sob betraying my indifference. "I'm just getting in the way. Rose doesn't need me. I'm useless to her anyway."

"Of course she does! But not if you're acting like this! Come on, let's go find the rest of them."

"You go on ahead. I'll...catch up."

"Ace."

"Just go away!" I tell at him, balling my fist. Ouch. The glass shards cut into my skin. Wes s cowls, but leaves anyway. A few minutes later, I hear someone's voice.

"Cruz."

"Wes, I told you I was fi-"

I stop in my tracks when I see who's in front of the door.


	13. Fight Back While You Still Can

**BlackCanary98: Yeah, makes sense Jessica would hire someone as corrupted as herself to represent her in the trial. And don't worry the person at the door is going to talk some sense into Ace.**

Ava's POV

"Cruz."

"Wes, I told you I'm fi-"

He freezes when he sees me standing in the doorway.

"Come on, we need to talk," I say. Cruz shakes his head.

"I can't...I've ruined everything."

"No you haven't, Cruz. Now are you going to come out or do I have to drag you out?"

"Ok, ok, I'm coming out," he relents. He shuffles out of the mens restroom. "What?"

"Come with me," I say, grabbing his uninjured hand and taking him outside on the steps. Uma and Aiden are already there when they see me. They frown at the glass shards in Cruz's hand.

"That looks bad…" Aiden comments with a frown. "Let me take care of that."

As Cruz reluctantly lets Aiden tend to his hand, he stares off into space.

"Cruz, Rose needs you," I tell him. He shrugs.

"She doesn't. She's got plenty more witnesses. I'm just a liability. I don't even know why she's with me."

"Because she loves you. Everyone can see it," I tell him. "She always tells me about how you're always there for her when she needs you."

Cruz scoffs, "Yeah, after a freaking hallucination made me start to stick up for her. Rose knows how to stand her ground. Look, I should probably go…"

"Wait," Aiden insists. "At least let me finish bandaging up your hand."

"Ugh, fine," Cruz relents.

"Look, Ace. Everyone knows that you and Rose care deeply for each other," Aiden continues. "She'd want you in the courtroom with her."

"She went looking for you after you ran off," Uma adds. "That has to mean something to you."

"...I…the jury already thinks I'm an unreliable witness...Rose might as well just dump me and be done with me for good. What's the point?"

"The point is I'm your girlfriend and we're going to stick together no matter what," goes Rose's voice behind us. Cruz whips his head around and sees her.

"R-rose?" He stammers. Rose rushes over to where we are and gives him a hug.

"Listen to me, Ace. I am not leaving you," she states firmly. "I love you and I want to be by your side now more than ever."

"Rose...I'm a messed up person inside. No amount of love and finessing is going to change that."

"Well, I'm not going to just let you beat yourself up over this. It's called garbage can, not garbage cannot."

Cruz smiles a little. Rose meets his eyes.

"It's really sweet how you put so much faith in me...especially after-"

"It's in the past. I forgave you for that, remember?" She interrupts him. She then looks at me. "Umm...could we have a moment of privacy, please?"

"Oh, of course Rose," I agree as Aiden, Uma and I move up the stairs and hide behind a pillar.

I can't make out what they're saying, but with the way Cruz shyly smiles and blushes at her, I'd say the conversation is going well. They share a tender embrace before Rose kisses him. I'm pretty sure a few I love yous are shared between them.

"You know, it's kinda sad to see Ace have so little faith in himself," Aiden admits. "He always seemed to ooze confidence. Then again, he kinda reminds me of Jay. Well, we should probably head to the courtroom."

"I'll go get them," I offer. When I get to the bottom of the steps, Cruz has his head on Rose's shoulder while she runs a hand through his hair. I clear my throat. They pull apart, turning red.

"We're ready," Rose says quickly as she heads up the stairs. Cruz falls back to talk to me.

"Hey, Ava."

"What?"

"Thanks. I kinda needed someone to talk some sense into me. You're...you're an alright person."

I smile at the half compliment. "You too, Cruz...Ace."

Uma's POV

"I see didn't take the high road and run while he had the chance," Mr. Price taunts Ace the minute we step into the courtroom. The judge gives him a withering look.

"Ready to proceed," Ace states calmly, returning to the witness stand.

"It appears that gives you nothing but heartache. Why do you support her still?"

"Not just because I'm in love with her, but because she's simply a lovable person. I mean, have you forgotten the fact that she's built up an entire school from scratch? Lakeside High is a safe haven for kids that have been bullied, ostracized or just plain hated on for being different. Kids like us. Skater girls, bisexual male dancers, even chubby sweethearts are welcomed at Lakeside," he says, glancing at Rose. She blushes. "Let's face it, I'd be lying if I said Rose didn't have a mean bone in her body. But she's human like the rest of us, and yet she wants to make a difference more than most of us are willing. And maybe try to remember that she's not the one on trial. Jessica is. Jessica's the reason we're here. Because she took something good in our community and tried to destroy it."

looks so stunned. He fumbles through his papers before grumbling, "No further questions your honor."

Ace sits back down, a smug look on his face, Rose beams at him and gives him a kiss on the cheek. Ethan opens his mouth to say something, but closes it, shaking his head and chuckling. Ava is called to the stand.

"Avalina Edwards, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God?"

"Yes."

Ethan approaches the stand.

" , what is your relationship with the accused?"

"She's my...my girlfriend's cousin."

"Has she been violent towards or her cousin?"

"Yeah, she fought Rose and she put laxatives in my girlfriend's drink."

"Anything else?"

"She pushed me into a wall and kissed me once."

"Why?"

"She was turning Rose's other friends against her. I wanted to teach her a lesson. She laughed and tried to flirt with me."

"And then?"

"She asked me out. But then I met her cousin, who's way hotter, by the way."

Ava smiles at me. I try not to blush.

"That will be all Ms. Edwards," Ethan says as he takes his seat. Mr. Price stands up. I'm a little worried, considering how he nearly crushed Ace an hour ago, but my girl can handle it.

" , can you describe the incident in which you claim my client allegedly flirted with you and assaulted you?" asks.

Ava narrows her eyes at him. I'm pretty sure she's answered this already and is uncomfortable talking about it further.

"She laughed when I confronted her, she told me she found my anger really hot. We were pressed up against each other in the closet, her hands were all over my body," Ava recounts through gritted teeth. "Then she grabbed my ass, kissed me and left."

"Do you remember saying to my client, 'You leave her alone or I'll punch you so hard you'll be coughing up my nail polish for weeks.'?"

"Uh...yeah. But I was talking about Rose."

"Did you follow up on this threat?"

"No."

"Has my client ever been violent with you?"

"No, but she assaulted me without my permission. Don't you have laws against this kind of stuff?"

"If it was that serious to you, why didn't you report it to the authorities?"

"I had bigger things to worry about."

"So, according to you, if it wasn't that big of a deal to report the assault, then the assault never happened?"

"Objection," Ethan states calmy. "This questioning is irrelevant and he's leading the witness."

"Sustained. Mr. Price, I'd advise you to stop harassing the witnesses," the judge says. "Their teenagers."

"Yeah, teenagers about to put an innocent girl in jail for an indefinite amount of time."

Next to me, Jason snorts.

The judge rubs his temples and says, "Blake. Price. My chambers. Now. , you may leave the stand."

Ava leaves the courtroom scowling. I go after her. When I spot her by the vending machine with a soda in her hand, I notice that she's not wearing the same suit she came to the trial with. She's replaced it with a burgundy hoodie and black sweatpants.

"Not feeling the suit, Avie?" I ask. Ava looks up but doesn't meet my eyes. Her fingers tighten around the soda can.

"Nope. I can't believe that scum Jessica hired as her lawyer."

"Are you upset that he didn't take your harassment claim seriously?"

"No, I'm mad because I didn't fight back. I just stood there like a little bitch and let her have her way with me. I bet the mutt's practically orgasming when she heard me relive it. I wish I'd pounded her into the ground when I had the chance," Ava growls. "That'll wipe the smirk off her face."

Her face is red with humiliation and anger. She sighs.

"Ava, just because she's my cousin doesn't mean I think any less of you."

"This is all a sick game to her, Uma," Ava seethes. "She can't stand the fact that I rejected her in favor of you. So she does everything she can to pull us apart. I hate that. And it's not like people are going against her. Cruz, Rose and Aiden may be in the spotlight right now, but behind the scenes, people are saying really hurtful things about us. _Ooh, look! Two girls holding hands and kissing! So weird!_ Believe it or not, I talked to one of my relatives that hasn't cut me off about it and she said, 'Maybe that girl is doing you a favor so you can come out of this _lesbian_ phase you're going through.' She told me I probably wanted Jessica's advances anyway. People tend to call me a dykey bitch for this, but I hate looking weak to anyone. That's why the harassment itself didn't upset me. It was how little I reacted to it."

"Avie," I console her, giving her a hug. "There's nothing wrong with being afraid."

"That's just it! I wasn't scared of her. I'm mad that she has power over me and I can't do a thing about it!"

"Then don't give her power, Avie. Take it back from her," I tell her, kissing her cheek. Ava looks down at me and smirks.

"You sound a lot like Rose," she comments.

"Except I constantly remind my awesome and strong girlfriend how powerful she truly is during the day so she can show me at night-"

Ava starts laughing.

"Oh my God, you make everything into a dirty joke!" she giggles, turning as red as her hair. I start laughing too as she leans on my shoulder for support.

"You better watch out, Ava, you might turn into a strawberry," I tease her.

"Speak for yourself, Miss Blueberry," she playfully retorts, messing with my hair. "But seriously, I'm glad you believe in me, Uma. That's hard to remember when the whole world practically hates your guts."

I kiss her passionately and say, "The whole world doesn't hate your guts, Avie. You just haven't met enough people who aren't buttholes."

We walk back into the courtroom holding hands. Jessica glares at us as we take our seats, then smirks as she talks with an older woman. She turns around and my blood turns ice cold.

"Uma, what's wrong?" Rose asks.

"She's supposed to be in Paris right now...what's my mom doing here?"


	14. Unintended Consequences

**BlackCanary98: Yeah, it's avout time Ace and Ava were at least on neutral term with each other. And this is actually Uma's mother that shows up, not Ava's.**

Ava's POV

"They look like they're actually mother and daughter," I comments, watching Jessica and Uma's mother converse. Uma scowls and looks away.

"Know what, Ava? I meant what I said when I told you I wasn't leaving your side no matter what. I don't care what she tells my mom," Uma asserts, linking my fingers with hers.

Uma's mother looks up at us, her face wrinkling in disgust. Bitch looks like a candy wrapper. She beckons to Uma. Uma stiffens and comes over, motioning for me to follow her.

"Mother." Uma says in a clipped tone. "Why aren't you in Paris?"

"I was on my way to buy Jessica something from her favorite fashion line when I heard you and your band of misfits got her arrested. So I had to hire the best lawyer money can buy to represent her. Of course I couldn't stay in Paris knowing my favorite niece was probably wasting away in jail."

"Let me guess, you paid her bail," Uma sneers. "Not that I'm surprised at all."

"Please. Like I wouldn't have done the same for you, Uma," her mother chides her.

"Mother, she hurt people. You can't get away with a crime like that," Uma insists.

"Dearie, you don't seem to understand how things work in this world," her mom says condescendingly. "Maybe you will when you find a nice man in your life instead of chasing silly girls...like this one."

She gives me a once over and I suddenly wish I'd kept on my suit on.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs.Nguyen," I lie. "I'm-"

"Ava Edwards. I've heard about you and your lowlife family in the news months ago. It's a shame how you all almost killed that poor Cruz boy. He looks like a potential suitor for you, Uma."

"First of all, he has a loving girlfriend already. Second of all, I don't need a suitor!" Uma snaps, turning a little red.

"Who, that Rose girl attached to him? Trashy gold digger like herself is only going to bring him down in the end."

Ok, tell me this tampon wrapper-looking tiger mom didn't just insult my best friend.

"I don't like people talking about my friends like that, mother," Uma retorts. "They are compatible with each other and complement each other. Ace and I would never be a good fit."

"Auntie," Jessica whines. "I wanted Ace to be my boyfriend for longer."

You wish.

"I know sweetheart. Perhaps when this trial nonsense is over I can arrange an agreement with the boy's parents. It's how I met your uncle, you know."

Arranged courting? Sick! Uma looks like she wants to pounce on her mother and Jessica.

"Ugh! No, mother! You can't just mess with other people's relationships to suit your selfish needs! Rose and Ace love each other and you have no right to interfere in that."

"You always were a simple child, Uma. No one cares about trivial emotions like love. It's all about building alliances with the right people. Jessie, dear, whatever happened to that little Zhou boy you were with?"

Jessica scowls and tosses her head in Aiden's general direction, where he's dozing peacefully on Jay's shoulder while Jay wraps his arms around his waist protectively.

"That happened," she growls.

Ms. Nguyen sighs despondently.

"Always the musicians, isn't it? Sad how they always settle for less."

"That's enough, mother," Uma says curtly. "If you'll excuse us, we'll be headed to our seats. Let's go, Ava."

She takes my hand and less us back to our seats, her mother glaring at us the whole time. Uma looks up at me with her soft gray eyes, and I'm taken back to that moment we first met.

"I see. Would you...like to dance with me?" She offered, holding out her hand. I blushed scarlet. Here was this pretty girl asking me to dance with me. I've had my share of guys ask me put and me giving them a small trial run...it never works out. But with Uma, my heart soared like it never had before.

"You? With me? Right now?" I stammered

"It's ok if you don't want to Ava…" Uma looked disappointed, her doe eyes drooping. Her azure lips pouted.

"N-no! I mean, I would like to dance. With you." I stammered, hoping I hadn't scared this girl away.

Uma beamed and took my hand, pulling me to the dance floor. Cruz and Rose were in the center, slow dancing like a prince and princess. Uma looked at me and smiled, her grin filling me with a warmth I never knew I was missing. Together we danced together to a slow romantic song, Uma leading the way the whole time. Uma pulled me close. She's shorter than I am, so her head came just under my chin. Her sky blue hair tickles my skin.

"Penny for your thoughts," she asked so softly I can hear her heartbeat gently pitter-patterning against mine. I bet she can hear mine increase in tempo.

"Nothing important, Uma," I replied as she twirled me around. "I'm just glad to be spending time with you. E-even though we just met."

Uma blushed and gave me a small smile. "Don't worry, the feeling is mutual. We should definitely see each other again."

"Really? I mean, we go to different schools."

She pressed a finger to my lip and whispered, "We'll find a way."

She blew me a kiss before blending in with the crowd, my skin still tingling.

"Ava, what are you thinking about?"Uma asks, her face just centimeters from mine. I meet her halfway with a kiss and smile at her, cupping her cheek. She turns a little red, then hastily glances left to see if her mother was watching us. She wasn't, thank goodness.

"I have such an awesome girlfriend," I say.

"I know," she giggles.When Ethan, Mr. Price and the Judge come back from the judge's chambers, Ethan looks a little worn out.

"Mr.Price is a man child," he grumbles. "We're taking a break tonight so we'll resume this tomorrow morning. Meet me at the limo in twenty minutes so we can all get some rest."

He picks up his papers and walks briskly out of the door. Jason gently nudges his sleeping boyfriend.

"Wake up, babe," he says softly. "We're going home now."

"Did we win?" Aiden mumbles sleepily.

"Uh...not yet. But I know we will," Jay says, nuzzling his neck.

Uma squeezes my hand excitedly.

"They are so cute!" she whisper-yells, causing both of them to redden.

"Jay, let's go to the diner next door before we head to the limo," Aiden offers. "You guys can come with us if you want."

"We're good, thanks," I say.

"Yeah, I think there's something I need to tell my mother," Uma states, looking at me as she marches over to where her mother, Jessica and Mr.Price are talking.

"...I promise these kids will seriously regret messing with your niece, Mrs.Nguyen," we overhear the lawyer say. "Even if we have to drag their names in the mud and have them institutionaliz-"

Uma clears her throat suddenly. All three of them turn around and glare at us.

"Unless you've come to tell me you've reconsidered my offer about that Cruz boy, I don't want to hear it."

"Well, hear this, mother. I like girls, and there's nothing you can do about that," she says, kissing me passionately. "I'm in love with Ava and we want to be with each other."

Her mother turns to Mr.Price, saying, "I think the champagne I had on the way is getting to me. I thought I heard my biological daughter and heiress say she was a lesbian and that she was in love with a red-haired lowlife who doesn't even live with her parents."

"You heard right, mother. I don't want any courtship or marriage proposals. I'm 17. And right now, being with Ava is what I want," Uma continues.

"Somebody bring me my smelling salts, I feel a little faint…"

"Wake up and smell the roses, mother. This isn't some phase I'll grow out of. I hope you'll realize that eventually."

Uma and I turn away from them and walk out, our heads head high.

When we are out of their sight, Uma squeals and practically jumps into my arms.

"You showed her," I chuckle.

"I can't believe I actually did that," she gasps.

"But...what happens to you now?"

"The house is actually mine. My late father gave it to me in his will when he was dying of brain cancer two years ago."

"Oh, Uma...I'm so sorry."

"It's fine...mostly. At least my mom can't legally kick me out. Hey, want to get a smoothie with Aiden and Jason at the diner to celebrate?"

"You had me at smoothie."

When we get there, Aiden is sitting outside on the steps with a cut lip and other various bruises. Words like "Go back to China" and "white and yellow don't go together" along with various racial slurs are written in black permanent marker on his skin.

"Oh my God," Uma gasps. "What happened?"

"We were just sitting there in the diner, talking. Then when Jason started kissing me, it got a little heated. Some guy and his friends started yelling at us. Jay tried to take them all on at once...Trust me, if I look bad, Jay's even worse."

We take a closer look and notice he's holding Jason in his arms, who's breathing heavily. Part of his face was smeared with blood. Someone cut the word "shemale" on his cheek.

"Babe, come on," he says weakly, waving his hand dismissively. "This is nothing some bandaging and gauze won't fix. My dad's asshole friends did a lousy job of sending a message. I'll get them back. I'll get all of them back."

"Jason, you're seriously hurt, and I'm pretty sure you need a hospital."

Jason coughs, rubbing his chest in frustration.

"Why? So my dad can refuse to treat me and watch me die? Look, let's just go home…"

He stands up, walks a few feet, and smiles crookedly. He collapses. His eyes go blank. He's not moving...I doubt he's even breathing. Aiden rushes to his side in an instant.

"Call a hospital," he orders, trying to revive him. His voice cracks. "Please."

I'm already dialing 911 while Uma gets the others.

"There were two of us and eight of them. They kept saying that I needed to 'stay with my own kind' and that if Jason wants to act like a guy, he'd be treated like one. Why do they hate us?" Aiden says, tears starting to stream down his face as he relentless tries to save Jay. "What did we ever do to them?"

"Aiden...I don't know," Uma asks, patting his back. "We just have to hope that Jay makes it."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Let's not make that a possibility."

A haughty voice scoffs at us.

"What...the hell...do you want?" Aiden growls. "You can't seriously be trying to bother me after-"

A sob bursts from his throat. Jessica actually looks sympathetic.

"Oh, Aiden, I would never kick a guy when he's down. I feel terrible that this happened to you and Jay."

"You...you do?"

"Of course...but come on, you didn't see this coming?"

"What?"

"I didn't arrange this accident, FYI. But I warned you being with Jason was going to lead to trouble."

"How would you know?" He snaps, turning on her. "He was my best friend before he became my boyfriend. And now, because of you...he might never be the same of he even makes it. Just...stay away from us, Jessica."

His voice is just so hollow broken. Jessica opens her mouth to say something, then wisely shuts up and walks away.

"Aiden...are you going to be ok?" Uma asks him.

"Forget about me. I just want Jay back," he sighs. "Look, I think I need some time to process what happened."

Uma nods and we leave them. The others catch up to us.

"We heard about what happened," Rose says. "I thought his dad was bad, but not this sociopathic."

"We can visit them in the hospital, later," Ethan says. "For now, I think we just need some rest for tomorrow."

(Sneak Peek of Next Chapter)

Aiden's POV

My parents get here almost as soon as the ambulance does.

"Aiden!" my mother cries, giving me a bone crushing hug.

"Mom…" I mumble, feeling numb.

"What happened, precious?" She asks, wincing at my injuries and stroking my hair.

"They...he...how…" I'm at a loss for words as they load Jason onto the stretcher. I must be trembling terribly, because one of the EMTs offers me a trauma blanket. "I could have stopped him from picking a fight with those jerks. But I just stood there and let him get hurt."


	15. Somewhere Alone in the Bitterness

**So, I played the first two chapters of HSS 3, and I have to say...I like it. I don't get the hype around Jade (We just met her and besides, have you seen Tucker?) I'm wiling to fight Kara if she's gonna start something with me over being Prom Queen. The original LIs are lovable as ever, Brian and Zoe are still assholes, Terrence...please don't tell me he's going to be the anti-Aiden or Aleister 2.0. I'll fight him if we get the chance. I hope practice goes well in the next chapter.**

 **BlackCanary98: Obviously. Why else is Jessica so evil? And yeah, Jay's dad has some issues accepting his son as he is.**

Aiden's POV

My mother holds me in her arms, rocking me slowly like she used to do when I was a child as Dad drives us home. I wanted to follow the ambulance and see where Jason was headed, but my parents insisted we go home.

"Let's just let Jason get some rest, precious," she tells me, rubbing my back. "You can go see him tomorrow."

"I don't even know what's going on with him," I murmur with a shake of my head. "I can't believe I let this happen."

"You couldn't have known those awful men were going to attack you and your boyfriend," my dad says, trying to console me.

"Yeah, but Jay got mad...he tried to fight all of them at once," I respond despondently. Who would've thought something so sweet and romantic would go so horribly wrong?

" _Hey babe, I see some street performers out that window," he told me._

" _Jay, it's barely February. I don't see any- Hey!"_

 _He had taken a bite out of my cinnamon bun while I was distracted._

" _My bad," he said with a full mouth. I pretended to wrestle him for his slice of cake. "Hey, hands off the cake!_

" _It's only fair! You stole some of my cinnamon bun!" I laughed as he ruffled my hair and kissed my cheek._

" _You're_ my _cinnamon bun," he said before blushing. "That's probably my cheesiest line yet."_

" _I like being your cinnamon bun," I teased, snuggling up to him. He grinned at me, holding my face in his hands._

" _Aiden," he told me, his blue eyes sparking with hope. "We're going to win this. I just know it."_

" _Me too," I whispered. Then I leaned in and kissed him. Sparks flew as he placed his left hand on the small of my back and the right running up my upper thigh. His touch felt so good, so secure. His tongue glided effortlessly across my lips, causing me to gasp a little and run my hands deeper into his hair. Jason smirked, holding me steady so he could dip me further. Before I knew it, we were lying all the way down on the plush seats, Jason's hand up my shirt exploring every curve on my body. My shirt would need a good ironing after all this fondling, but I didn't care._

" _I'm so glad you're my boyfriend, Aiden," he said, his eyes shining like a crystal lake._

" _I'm glad you're mine," I responded. We were so busy with each other that we didn't notice the men surround our table. I was a little startled by the intrusion. Jason looked pissed._

" _Well, if it isn't the girl from the newspaper. And with her slit-eyed lover, no less!" One of them jeered. Jason scowled at them._

" _We aren't bothering anyone, so if my dad sent you, tell him to piss off!" He snapped. One of the men leered in his face, his breath reeking of cigarette smoke. Jason firmly grasped my hand._

" _Stay calm," he mouthed before turning to the men, his grimace fixed on his face._

" _Your dad says it's time to stop playing pretend, Jayda. He wanted us to send you a message."_

" _What, is he too scared to face me and talk?" Jay growled in contempt. "I've got a message for him, too."_

" _Come, now. Let's not make this any harder for you than it already is," another dude said, pulling Jay's shirt. Jason spat in his face._

" _Fight me," he sneered, pure hate in his eyes. Is he crazy? He can't take all of these men at once!_

" _Jason, no!" I gasped, trying to hold him back._

" _What, you think a big strong man like me is afraid of a tiny girl like Jayda?" The man taunted, pulling Jason's hair. "Come at me, princess, if you think you've got the balls for it. Oh, wait. You don't."_

 _I don't know what exactly set him off, but Jason lunged at all of them, managing to tackle one of them to the ground. The others are on him within seconds._

" _Jason!" I exclaimed. I couldn't find him in the crowd. Where were the authorities when you needed them? Oh wait, they were recording this for social media._

" _Aiden, run!" He yelled back at me through the throng. "I'll be fine, go!"_

" _I can't leave you here!" I insisted, trying to reach for him. One of the men grabbed me, cackling._

" _What's wrong, lover boy? Afraid your little girlfriend can't take a few punches?"_

" _Get off of him!" I pleaded, but they all laughed. Some of them spat offensive slurs at me. Jason sprung up from the crowd, breathing heavily. His clothes were a mess._

" _Aiden," he groaned, clutching his chest. He staggered over to me. "Trust me, this is going to get ugly. I...I can handle this."_

 _One of the guys grabbed Jason by his whirled around and socked one of them in the jaw._

" _Ok, it's on now, princess," the dude sneered, taking a swing at him. "And your little boyfriend can watch."_

 _The dude's hands tightened on my arms, making me wince._

" _Get...away...from him!" Jay seethed, trying to reach me. Someone cut him off with a punch to the throat. Jay fell and the attack starred all over again._

" _Let's go somewhere else," the man holding me said, dragging me into a place somewhere secluded. He nodded at one of the workers and shut the door._

" _I'm 16!" I suddenly blurted out. He laughed maliciously._

" _You weren't complaining when that shemale was all over you, did you? And anyway, I'm not trying to get into your pants, kid. Why would anyone screw a useless anchor baby like you anyway?"_

" _A-anchor baby?!" I stammered. My grandparents immigrated to the United States a long time ago. Is that why Jay's dad hates me? I don't like this term...anchor baby._

 _He pinned me to a wall, my face away from his. Outside I hear Jason grunting._

" _told us you were the reason for all this mayhem. So maybe we should remind you where you stand."_

 _He dragged a marker over my face. I turned as much as I could. What was he writing?_

" _Hey, where're you goin' princess?" I heard one of them taunt. Without thinking, I wrenched myself from my captor's grasp and burst out the door after him. He put up a huge fight, which was how I got a cut lip. When I got outside, Jason leaned uneasily against a wall, badly hurt. He gave me a concerned look when he saw me._

" _Those...those bastards hurt you, didn't they?" he wheezed, stroking my cheek. "Don't worry babe, I got thi-"_

 _His legs gave out on him and I barely managed to catch him. He went limp in my arms._

" _Aiden, why do you look so worried? I might be a little banged up, but it's nothing to worry about," he chuckled. "It's a bit chilly out here, isn't it._

" _Jay, you're bleeding profusely. This is not 'a little banged up.' Who were those men, and why did they hurt you?"_

" _They're my dad's goons," he scoffed. "Sometimes they'd follow me around and mess with me. It's his way of making me normal."_

 _He tried to get up, but his broken body wouldn't allow him._

" _We need to get you to a hospital," I told him. Jay scowled._

" _Hell no."_

" _Jay, please!"_

" _A little bandaging and I'll be good as new."_

 _This went on until Uma and Ava showed up and found us. Jay dismissed the idea of going to the hospital once more, getting up and taking a few wobbly steps. He gave me a crooked smile...just before he fainted._

 _I still can't get that image of Jason's lifeless body on the pavement as I frantically tried to revive him._

"Aiden, we're home," my mother says, jarring my nightmare. I head straight to my room, where I get a call from Rose.

"Hey, Aiden," she says sadly.

"Hey Rose," I respond, a little shocked by how hollow I sound right now. "Any news?"

"Jay's at the hospital. They're trying to get him stabilized, but that was a pretty brutal beating he took. His chances...50/50."

"Better than having no chance, I guess," I groan.

"He'll be fine, Aiden," she tries to assure me. "I know it. He's a fighter."

"God, his dad is just...just...such an piece of trash! This would've never happened if Jessica hadn't outed him," I seethe. "I...it's my fault anyway."

"How could it ever be your fault?"

"I don't know...I keep thinking, if I hadn't broken up with her-"

"Stop talking. Now."

"W-what?"

"I don't ever want to hear you blame yourself from getting away from a toxic person, understand?"

"Yeah…"

"Good. We'll see you tomorrow. Hopefully."

Rose's POV

I hang up the phone. Ava sits cross-legged on my bed, Uma on her lap.

"I have a plan," Ava says.

"Is it a good plan?"

"Possibly."

"Is it illegal?"

"Yep."

"Are we likely to get in trouble?"

"If we get caught."

"Are we going to get caught?"

"Possibly."

"How dangerous is it?"

"On a scale of Mickey Mouse to the Bermuda Triangle, South Korea."

"Spill."

"We're breaking into Jessica's house for evidence," she tells me. Uma and I do a double take.

"We're going to do WHAT, Ava?" Uma asks. "I mean, it's technically my house too, but with both my mother AND Jessica in the way, you have a death wish."

"Look, Ethan's doing the best he can, but it's our word against hers. We need solid evidence against her. We can find it on her computer or her cell phone," Ava explains. "Let's just say I have some expertise in technology."

"Sounds crazy, but it's our only option."

"Ooh, I already have outfits picked out!" Uma squeals, pulling out what look like pajamas.

"We're going on an undercover mission in pyjamas?" Ava snickers.

"Well, they're comfortable and quiet," Uma insists. "Plus, I've always wanted to go on a secret mission in a team!"

Minutes later, we are dressed and ready to go, just as my hand touches the doorknob, I hear Roscoe say in the darkness, "Where are the three of you going?"

I turn on the light. Roscoe is lying on the couch, with his daughter asleep on his chest.

"Somewhere," I answer vaguely.

"Dad know you're leaving?"

"No. He's at the station. I've taken care of myself since you weren't around for years."

"That's a little cold, little R."

"You left for Hollywood U when I was 10, Ross. Ten. And apparently, you can't even be bothered to include me in a big part of your life."

"Rose, I-"

"I don't have time for this conversation, Roscoe. You have your life, I have mine."

"A'ight, whatever."

I close the door behind me and head to my motorcycle.

"Rose, is something wrong between you and Roscoe?" Ava asks.

"No. I don't hate him, but I wish he'd been with me longer growing up before he starts acting like he's the boss of me. Anyways, let's get us some proof."

When we get to the house, Uma opens a window. She hoists Ava and I up through her window and we enter her room.

"I'll go get her laptop," Uma says, walking out of the room. Ava and I hear voices from another room.

"I haven't been able to get in touch with the Cruz family, perhaps we can try that Zhou boy again now that his lover is out of the picture."

"But Auntie, Jason's still alive at this point. He's in a coma. I bet Aiden doesn't know that."

"And as far as he knows, he's dead."

I gasp inaudibly. Were they seriously going to lie to Aiden and tell him Jay's gone?

"Auntie, won't that possibly lead to Aiden committing suicide as a result?"

"Possibly...or he'll be so broken that he'll have no choice but to accept your offer."

"It's no fun playing with a broken toy, you know."

"Perhaps with the right treatment we can-"

"I can't listen to this anymore," Ava growls. "A kid just got sent into a coma and she's talking about this?"

"Ava...I just realized...he's in a _coma_ ," I whisper."

"I know. His dad's a sick man. I can't believe he's a doctor."

"What if Jay's at the hospital he works at? What if his dad's the reason he's in a coma in the first place?"

Uma comes back in with Jessica's laptop wide open.

"Guys, this is big. Turns out, my mom's involved in some underground organization that hunts talented or rich kids to coerce them into courtship proposals!"

"Whaaaaa…?"

"It's true. And Aiden's been on their list for years before you and him even started dating, Rose!"

"That's why she's so awful to everyone? Because she felt she was entitled to Aiden? We need to get this to the police-"

The door slams shut behind us. We cautiously turn around- yup, she's there.

"I don't think you'll be doing anything for awhile," she says, her eyes cold and emotionless. "Well, it seems you've found out the family secret. Too bad none of you will live long enough to expose it. It's a shame, Uma. To think you were one of us…"

Ava turns to her girlfriend, shock and betrayal written all over her face.

"Uma, is this true?" Ava demands.

"Ava, it's not what you think! I never knew that it went this far!"

"As much as I'd like to watch this little drama unfold, I do need to get rid of the trash in here before the next phase can go through."

"I can't believe you'd do this to Aiden!" I snap at her.

"So you _have_ been eavesdropping on my conversation."

"Like you haven't done the same!"

"Ugh, Rosemary. You simple moron. I thought you would've gotten it by now," she sneers, pressing a button as secrurity piles through Uma's room. "You shouldn't have gotten involved in any of this."

One of the security guards grab us, and everything fades to black.

(Sneak Peek of the Next Chapter)

Jessica's POV

Ugh, the things people do to ruin other people's plan. I smirk victoriously as my guards drag Ava, Uma and Rose outside. They'll be going to some place out of the state, so they'll be too far away to stop me.

"Hello, is this ?"

"Speaking," he says in a gruff voice. "Who is this?"

"Let's just say I'm going to make all your problems disappear."

"Likely story."

"Do you know Aiden Zhou?"

"Yeah...that little punk got my daughter into all sorts of trouble. My little girl's in the hospital because of him."

"Well, I have a solution. Have someone from the hospital call him and tell him that she's dead. He'll leave you alone for good."

"And I can take Jayda out of this town for good without him even knowing. But what if he visits her after he gets the call."

"You're a doctor. I'm sure you could arrange to have Jayda flatline in time. Or just make it so that only family members are allowed to see him."

"Right...why are you doing this?"

"You want Aiden away from your daughter. I want him with me. That's all you need to know."

"Ok...deal. But not one word about this to the press."


	16. Wool Pulled Over His Eyes

**BlackCanary98: My bad, didn't mean to give away any spoilers! ROE is ok, but I can't stand the MC. She's so bland wirh her storyline of having to fall in love before the end of summer. I like the other characters, though. Like the Twins and the Brother. Jay's dad isn't just racist, he thinks Aiden is somehow responsible for Jay being transgender because of their relationship. About the organization. Basically, there's a society of rich folks who stalk other rich/talented children as potential suitors for their kids. They find them, and coerce them into a relationship, as Jessica did to Aiden and attempted to do with Ace and Jason. They do so by sabatoging relationships (Hence Rose and Aiden's messy breakup) and cuttin off potential allies (Hence why I haven"t really mentioned the other characters of HSS. Now, Jessica's violent tactics were unorthodox in the society, but they did the job none the less, so they kept it under wraps. It would've worked...if Rose hadn't gotten suspicious and intervened in time. As for Rose and Roscoe, Rose doesn"t hate her older brother, but she doesn't like how he's trying to act like her father when he's barely been a physical part of her life in 6 years and now he's shown up with a fiancee and a daughter she never knew about.**

Jessica's POV

I won't be around when those three losers wake up, so I'll leave a video message for them. I'm sure their new housemates will fill in the blanks for me. For now, I have someone's death to fake.

With the right amount of money and strings to pull, you can get people with even the strongest integrity to do what you want. The nurse told me that Jay would "flatline" in 3 and a half hours. I've head Aiden is coming to visit him in 3 hours. Jay "dies," Aiden is promptly heartbroken, and I come in. And, well...if he offers resistance, I've got other methods of bending his will.

But what to do in the time being? Well, I could follow up on my latest prisoners. If none of them show up to the trial, there'll be no trial. No one else but me and my mother knows where they are.

Everyone looks up at me when I open the large double doors. This place is bustling with fancy adults and their children. A woman in an elegant blue dress approaches me.

"Miss Nguyen," she whispers daintily. "We have an issue with your latest...suitors."

"Which ones?" I ask.

"That Rollins boy and Bryant girl," she hisses. "They tried to escape when the three new suitors arrived."

"I'll check up at them," I say, entering the private chambers.

Asher, handcuffed to his bed gives me a combination of a smirk and a leer.

"This is a rather unconventional proposal," goes his husky voice. "You usually don't go for foreplay and just tear my clothes off."

I feel myself blushing a little but shake my head.

"I think you know damn well why you're in those, Ash," I growl.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asks, his smirk betraying his innocent demeanor.

"Maybe explain to me why you were trying to escape with that tramp Lauren again?"

"What happened to, 'this is an open relationship, Ashie. I don't care if you hook up with some other girl, just remember who your main is...Oh Ash, I want you to take me away like the sexy beast you are!'"

"I never said that last part," I seethe. "And I didn't say you could sneak around with my ex friend either."

"You go through friends like I go through my bank account. We just talked, I swear!"

"Must be some talk if her bra is next to your bed!"

"You know, you're hot when you're mad," he teases. I am SO not in a teasing mood. But since he's asking for it…

"Then I must be smoking right now," I say in a sultry voice, undoing the buttons on his shirt and tracing his dark and muscular frame. He gazes at me, lust in his eyes. "There are so many things I could do to you right now…"

"Really?" he asks. "What?"

I lean in really close to his face, our lips almost touching.

"Oh nothing!" I chip, suddenly pulling away from him. Asher looks livid. "I gotta check on my other suitors, so ta-ta, Ashie!"

"You can be a real bitch when you want to be, Jessica!" he calls after me.

"And don't you forget it!" I yell back. Jeez, someone's got mommy issues.

When I arrive to check up on the three pj freaks, I find Ava conscious and glaring at me. She struggles fiercely against her restraints.

"Just wait till I get out, Jessica," she snarls. "You're going to pay dearly."

"Avie, dear,' I tease her, making her turn as red as her curly locks as I gently stroke her cheek. She turns her face away from me. "Just sit tight and I'll go easy on you when I'm done."

"You're sick, you know that?" Ava sneers at me. "You're pushing an innocent teenager past his breaking point, and for what? To make him part of your collection?"

She keeps pulling at her handcuffs, bruises starting to from around her wrists. So cute. I hear a quick snap and Ava screams in pain, clutching her wrist. I snicker inwardly.

"Having fun, sweetie?" I ask her. She grits her teeth and grimaces.

"I'll break my other wrist kicking your ass when I get out of here."

"Not when, Ava. If."

Ace's POV

"Thanks for driving me to the hospital, Ace," Aiden says in the elevator.

"Of course. It's the least I can do after everything you've been through," I tell him, patting his shoulder. Aiden gives me a half smile as we step onto Jason's floor. He clutches the bag in his hand, his face pale. He'd just gotten the news about Jay being in a coma early this morning, so we left during lunch hour to see him.

"I hope he's ok. And that he'll be able to hear me when I talk to him," he mumbles.

"I'm sure he will," I assure him as we enter Jay's room. Two nurses, one of which looks so familiar but I can't put my finger on it, are whispering to each other and looking at Jason's unconscious body.

"Dear God, why now?" I hear by reading the nurse's lips. "Just hurry up and flatline so we can get this over with."

Flatline?! Thankfully, Aiden doesn't hear the nurse says this, but he takes in my shocked expression. I should say something, but I'm worried I'll push him off the edge. They take one last look at us before leaving. Aiden's frown deepens. He walks over to Jay's bedside and holds his limp hand.

"Hey, Jason…" he starts off quietly, running his thumb over Jason's knuckles. "If you can hear me, I want to say...thank you. When I broke up with Jessica and left town, I wasn't sure who I'd fall in love with. Or even if I'd be able to fall in love again. That day we first kissed at your house...I felt butterflies in my stomach again. My heart beat rapidly for the first time in a year. Of course I should've recognized you on the spot because even though you were very different, everything about you was the same. Your blue eyes, your brown hair, even the shape of your lips. Then when you came back after...after I tried to end my life...I realized that I didn't fall in love with you, because I always was. I was the music, you were my dancer. Speaking of which, I brought some tapes of some of my latest compositions. I couldn't sleep, knowing that you were here all alone, so I spent all night working on them for you. I hope it does you justice."

He takes out like four cassettes, each labeled with a song title. He places them in Jason's pockets. He even starts to smile a little and plants a small kiss on Jay's cheek. Suddenly, Jay's monitor starts beeping quickly. Aiden gets up in a panic.

"What's happening to him?! What's wrong?" he asks. "Nurse?! Something's wrong!"

He desperately calls for one of the nurses, but they either don't hear him or are ignoring him. Jay's monitor beeps faster and faster...until it's just one continuous beep.

"He's not…" I begin, but trail off. I look back at Aiden. His face is a mask of shock and grief. He shakes his head.

"At least I got to talk to him one last time," he mutters, his fists shaking. "We need to get back to school. I can't afford to waste anymore time here."

"Whoa, are you sure you're ok? It's fine if you need some time to grieve-"

"It doesn't matter," he interrupts me. "Nothing does anymore. I'll be waiting in the car."

He practically runs out of the hospital room. I look back at Jason. Somehow, I don't think he's dead like the monitor said. I check his pulse. It's still there! He's not dead. Oh my God, what if someone set this up to trick Aiden?

I hear the nurses come back and I hide behind a curtain.

"I can't believe that actually worked," one of them says. "Did you see the look on his face?"

"Of course I did. Not that it was easy, considering how fast he ran out of there. Now help me get this kid out of the bed."

"Where are we taking him. Or is it a her?"

"His dad said to take him far away from here. I have just the location. Hurry, before someone comes and finds us."

"Wasn't there a tall and tan boy with him? I didn't see him run after Zhou."

"Maybe he left...or maybe he's right here!"

She yanks open the curtain.

"I'm gonna make sure Aiden finds out about this. You won't stop me," I growl, weaving out of the nurse's grasp and heading out the door.

Much to my relief, Aiden is in the car, his head leaning on the window. He barely looks at me when I enter.

We're nearing the gas station when I decide to bring up what I heard. I hope the shock has worn off a little.

"Jay's not dead," I say.

"Yeah, yeah. He's alive in spirit," Aiden sneers. "If you're trying to make me feel better, you're doing a horrible job at it."

"I'm not, he's really-"

"Just. Stop. I knew whatever I had with Jason was too good to be true. There was no way people would ever let us be together."

"Aiden, please. Just listen."

"Oh my God," he groans, turning a very sickly shade of green and clutching his stomach. "Pull over. I think I'm going to be violently sick."

My wheels screech to a stop as he swings open the door and pretty much everything he'd eaten during the day comes splashing down on the pavement. He's still heaving by the time I come over to his side.

"I'll go get something from the convenience store," I tell him, knowing now wouldn't be a good time to tell him the truth.

But by the time I get back, he's gone. I find a trail of blood where he was seated. Someone has key scratched the words, **5 down, 2 to go** on my car. I check my phone. Neither Rose, Ava or Uma have responded to my texts. It all becomes sickenly clear what happened to them when I put two and two together.

They've all been kidnapped.

And I'm next.


	17. If I've Ever Needed You

**BlackCanary98: This is all part of Jessica's plot to make sure she wins.**

Roscoe's POV

Ace, Wes and I are sitting in Rose's living room. It's been 3 days since Aiden's kidnapping and 4 days since the girls were kidnapped. Some scandal involving a money laundering politician knocked our case off the front page. We're less of a priority in the court, so our next date is a month from now. I don't want to wait a month. They could be dead, for all we know. Ace gets up and starts pacing back and forth. His face has gone grey with worry.

"This is my fault guys," I say suddenly. "I shouldn't have let Rose and her friends leave that night, but she basically told me where I could stick my opinions. Not that I blame her. I was a crappy brother to her anyway."

"What happened that night?" Wes asks.

"I asked her where she was going. She acted like it was none of my business. I could've stopped her. When I went off to college six years ago, I was way in over my head. Then, I made it big, and found the love of my life. I pretty much forgot all about my life back home. I forgot about Rose. I forgot her birthday several times, I only showed up one time in six years, and that was to get tuition money after my benefactor stopped supporting me. But Rose...she sent me cards every holiday. Always emailed me weekly. Sometimes daily."

 _"Rocky!" My one and a half year old sister squealed, pulling on my leg. "Rocky, play!"_

 _I was in the middle of fighting the final boss on this videogame. I couldn't pause while I was so close to winning the whole thing. When I didn't respond to her, she stubbornly shuffled to my video game console and sat on the power button. My friends, who were playing with me, groaned. I scowled at Rose, with her plump lips pulled in a smirk._

 _"Rose, we were playing," I scolded her._ _"Play…" she burbled, crossing her stubby arms. "Play...with...me! Please?"_

 _"Some other time, Rose," I told her. She pouted and stumbled away. I wish I could say that was the first or the only time I'd done that to her._

 _Years later, when I started high school, I joined the football team. I made varsity within months. The day of my biggest football game, I was a junior and Rose had a talent show at her elementary school an hour after the game._

 _"You're coming to my show, riiiiight?" she asked me, handing me my football helmet._

 _"I'll try, Rosebud," I told her, ruffling her brown hair. My dad shot me a look._

 _"You'll do more than try, Roscoe," he said._

 _"She's been preparing for this for months."_

 _"Dad, football runs a little late. Don't blame me if I can't show up in time."_

 _My dad scowled at me, but let it go. Alright, I was being a jerk to my dad and adopted sister, I admit it. I had a big head. I still do._ _Long story short, my team killed it at the big game. We won 156-112. My teammates were dogpiling on each other and pouring Gatorade on the coach when I got a text from my dad: Rose's talent show is in half an hour, don't be late._ _I rolled my eyes and put my phone in the pocket of my varsity jacket, brimming with varsity letters. One of my teammates approached me, a senior._

 _"Hey, Brinkwater, Eli's having a huge party to celebrate the win tonight. You in?" he asked in a gruff voice._

 _"Heh, wish I could, but I gotta go see my sister's dumb talent show in 30 minutes," I complained._

 _"What's the rush? You could hang for a while and still see the talent show. Plus, there's some cutie I'd like you to meet," the senior pressed. I considered this for a moment. "Besides, what would a party be without our star athlete?"_

 _"Well, I guess a little while couldn't hurt," I agreed._ _The party was in full swing when we arrived. A girl with fiery red hair approached me with a drink. I peered at the unfamiliar liquid and looked at my teammate._

 _"Brinkwater, this is Melissa. Melissa, this is Brinkwater, our quarterback. Sorry, our star quarterback."_ _She flashed me a dazzling smile and giggled._

 _"It's so nice to finally meet the famous 'Rocky Road' Brinkwater," Melissa gushed, stroking my arm. "I got this for you."_

 _She held the drink out in front of me. I hesitated. My teammate nudged me._

 _"It's just a little liquid courage, Brinkwater. Unless you're telling me you're chicken," he teased. I scowled and took the drink._

 _"I am not chicken," I snapped, downing the whole thing in one swig. It was weird and bubbly and had a strange taste. I grimaced. My teammate smacked me on the back._

 _"Atta boy," he cackled. "I'll just leave the two of you alone."_

 _Melissa gave me another smile._ _"Let's go outside," she offered, pulling me along. I checked my phone. I still had like ten minutes to spare. Melissa offered me another drink._

 _"What's a little more liquid courage?" I said, clearly lying through my teeth as I drank it. I started to feel a bit dizzy. I shook my head and forced myself to grin at Melissa._

 _"So, tell me about yourself, Melissa."_ _She batted her eyes at me and giggled._

 _"Oh, who cares, Rocky? I want to get to know you a little better," she whispered, leaning in close. Yep, I saw where this was going._

 _"Look, Melissa, I'm sure you're a sweet girl and all, but I really have to get to my sister's- Mph!"_ _I couldn't get out my sentence as she kissed me. She suddenly pulled away and run back inside._

 _"Guys, I did it!" I heard her laugh, followed by the whooping and cheering of other girls. I later found out that the cheerleaders had made a bet to see which one of them could kiss all of the football players first. Then, I was fuming. I stormed out to my car and turned on the ignition. My head started to spin. What the hell did they put in my drink? I hoped I wasn't drunk. I drove as slowly as I could before I remembered Rose's talent show. I weaved in and out of traffic to get to the school._ _But by the time I got there, only the janitor was left._

 _I drove home, where my dad was waiting for in the dining room._

 _"Roscoe. What did I tell you this morning?"_

 _"Dad, I swear. I was going to come but I lost track of time!"_

 _"Doing what?"_

 _"See, uh, a friend invited me to a party-"_

 _"Roscoe Edison Brinkwater, out of all the excuses-"_

 _"I was tricked, ok? I'm sorry I messed Rose's dumb talent show, but I have a life, too," I scoffed. Dad scowled._

 _"I swear, it seems you never have enough time for your sister. I know, you're going off to college next year, but you need to foster these memories with her while you still can."_

 _"Geez, ever since we got her from that freaking bus all you do is talk about Rose. Rose, this. Rose that. Maybe you need to realize that Rose isn't your real daughter and no my real sister. She never will be!"_

 _I swear, my mouth runs faster than my brain does. Plus the potential alcohol in my system didn't help matters much, either._

 _"ROSCOE!" My father roared. I heard a tiny gasp at the top of the stairs, followed by rapid, small footsteps._

 _"Rose?" I asked, going upstairs. I opened her bedroom door. She was hidden under the covers, sniffling quietly. "Rosebud…"_

 _"Go away!" she cried._

 _"Rosie, I didn't mean what I said."_

 _"Yes, you did. You never liked me. You said I wasn't your real sister," she accused. Ok, the had a point. But I didn't mean to make her cry like that…_

 _"Rose...your more than a sister to me. You're my best friend," I told her. "I'm sorry I haven't always shown it. I promise I'll be a better big brother._ "

 _Rose peeked her head from under the covers._ _"P-pinky promise?" she whispered. I took my pinky finger and linked it with hers._

 _"Pinky promise,' I said, hugging her. In the year that we had left, I tried as hard as I could to make the of our relationship. But the damage was done. Rose still hasn't forgotten what I said about her that day._

"Ross, you're blanking out," Wes comments. I blink and look around. Rose is still missing. I'm still here.

"Honestly, I don't think Rose even wants me to help her anymore," I say.

"Why?"

"She doesn't need me. Look at everything she's accomplished in one year that I couldn't in six. I can't even be there for her when she needs me. I've been a terrible brother to her, no wonder she'll never listen to me."

"Let's face it. You're our last hope. I can't get in contact with anyone else. So we need to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and start looking. We don't have much time to spare," Ace says, looking up from his phone.

He's right. If there's a time to make things right with my sister, it's now.

(Sneak Peek of the Next Chapter)

Jason's POV

Being in a coma sucks. Especially when your boyfriend thinks you just died. I feel like I can't move, and yet I'm vaguely aware things around me. I don't know where I am, but it sure ain't the hospital.

I think back to when Aiden visited me. I felt his firm hand grasp mine as he told me he loved me over and over again. Then the freaking heart monitors started beeping. I can only imagine the look on my poor baby's face when he saw the monitor flatline. But I'm not dead! What happened? I've gotta find him before I'm too late.

But first I had to get out of this coma.


	18. Unlikely Allies

Rose's POV

"Ava, just let Uma see your wrist," I tell her. I don't even know how long we've been in this cell or how Ava hurt her wrist. Ava scowls.

"Not until Uma tells me why she's been hiding this from me the whole time," she says curtly.

"Ava...I swear i didn't know about any of this," Uma pleads with her, reaching for Ava's shoulder. Ava stiffens, but doesn't move away. "Avie, I would never do anything to harm you or your friends. I thought you knew me better than this."

"I want to trust you...but I can't," Ava mutters. "Especially considering the fact that you're related to these monsters."

"I am NOTHING like them," Uma retorts, her normally soft voice reverberating throughout the room. Ava's emerald eyes widen at her girlfriend's outburst. Uma shrinks back a little. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell."

Ava sighs, stroking Uma's cheek. "I'm not mad at you, Uma. I...I can't believe someone as sweet as you could come from a family like this."

"I know. Now let me look at your wrist," she says, as Ava reluctantly offers her hand up. "Well, it's definitely strained at least, but not broken. You should get some ice for that."

I hear the door unlock, and Jessica enters with two burly bodyguards.

"Finally, I thought you'd never wake up," she says. "Come on, I can't let my inmates starve."

They unlock our handcuffs and lead us into a room with glass walls. I gasp when I see who's already in here: Asher, Lauren...and Aiden! He barely glances at us, a hollow stare in his eyes before putting his head down again.

"Aiden!" I cry, trying to reach him, but the bodyguard cuts me off.

"None of you are allowed to speak to him," Jessica orders. "Get caught doing so and I'll have my guards have their way with you. Now be grateful I'm allowing you to eat, Rosemary. Heaven knows you don't need food anymore."

She laughs at me before leaving us with the guards. I notice an entire audience is watching us from behind the glass walls. I feel like I'm in a fishbowl. I rush towards Aiden again. The guards raise their weapons.

"Can I comfort my friend non-verbally?" I snapped. They glower at me, but allow it. I wrap Aiden in a tight hug. His breathing is slow and shaky.

"He's gone," he whispers. "Jason died."

I want to tell him the truth so badly, but Jessica warned us that the guards could kill us if we tried to talk to him.

"Mmm…"

"Listen, Rose. I'm so sorry I got you into this mess, but if you know what's good for you and your friends, you'll stay away from me," he tells me, gently moving away.

"Hmm?!"

"Trust me. We'll both get out alive this way. Just promise me you'll visit his grave when you do," he says, the tone of his voice telling me that was the end of the discussion. I sit with the other kids at the table

"How did she get you two?" I ask Asher, who's moving things around on his plate.

He doesn't even look up when he says," Lauren got knocked out in a catfight, I was drugged. Don't look at me like that, Rosemary. I'm sure the next thing to come out of your mouth is that Jessica is a toxic person that even I didn't deserve to be with, blah blah, let's have an alliance and take her down together. Sorry to disappoint, but my answer is a resounding no."

"Asher-"

"Look, our on again off again fling isn't healthy, I know. But that's how it is with her and people like me. We may not like it, but we do so anyway for the sake of upholding the family name and all that crap. Now just let me eat in peace," he cuts me off, scowling.

I take one look at Lauren and shake my head. I sigh and focus on my own plate. I'll get them to band together somehow. I just hope it won't be too late.

Aiden's POV

I'm squeezing my pillow even tighter when Jessica visits my cell later that night. She places her hand on the small of my back.

"Aiden, I hate seeing you so upset," she pouts.

"Y-you killed him!" I hiss.

"Baby, I didn't lay a hand on him and you know it," she growls, her face centimeters from mine.

"If you hadn't outed him to the ENTIRE town, those men wouldn't have attacked him."

"I'm sorry that happened, Aiden, but you do share some fault in this," she accuses.

"How?!" I gasp.

"You were supposed to make sure there was never a trial. You were supposed to still be my boyfriend. But you broke your promises, Aiden. Too bad Jay had to pay the price for your disobedience," she says, stroking my cheek.

All the air goes out of my lungs. My hands start to shake. She was right. I had promised to do as she said and I failed. What was I even thinking, agreeing to this? Jason would still be alive if

"I…" the room spins, and I feel as sick as I did that day in the hospital. "I didn't mean for this to happen! I just wanted you to leave us alone!"

"Sweetie, you need to take deep breaths. I know this is a lot to take in at once," she says in a soothing voice. "Trust me, I'll make you feel all better soon. Now get some rest, because we have a lot to do tomorrow."

She saunters out, and just as the door closes, I hear a hauntingly familiar voice.

" _Aiden? Babe, can you hear me?_ "

(Sneak Peek of the Next Chapter)

Jessica's POV

I rush to Jason's room. They told me he wasn't supposed to wake up yet! When I get there, he's leaning on the bed, his face grimacing with pain. His legs, shaking as they are, are liable give out at any second.

"Where...is...he?" he growls. He calls for Aiden again. I swipe my leg under his feet and he falls hard.

"His room is soundproof," I sneer. "He won't hear you. And he shouldn't."

"Did you tell him I was dead?" he demands. I smirk.

"Why not?" It wasn't like you were going to make it anyway."

Jason tries to get up, managing to get on his hands and knees. Pathetic.

"I'll find him," he tries to assert.

"You and what army? You can't even pick yourself off of the ground," I taunt. Jason snarls and tries to force himself up, but the fast movements make his head hurt. He groans and sinks to the ground again.

"I may be weak now, but I won't be down for good. I'll find my baby and make you regret ever messing with us," he warns.

"Then you'll have to get through me first," I say, slamming the door behind me.


	19. Blast From the Past

Jason's POV

Pain sears through my body as I lunge at Jessica. Damn, they must have really done a number on me. She catches my arm and twists it behind my back. I grit my teeth, trying not to wince audibly. I manage to loosen her grip on me enough to shove her away while I stop to catch my breath.

"Don't make me have to put you back in that coma, Jay," she warns.

"Do what you want, but you won't stop me from seeing Aiden," I retort. "Whatever you've got planned for him, it won't work."

"I beg to differ. As far as Aiden knows, you're dead," she taunts. I gasp. I was hoping it wasn't true and it was just a part of my coma-induced hallucination.

"Why would you ever lie to him like that?!" I demand. "Are you trying to make him suicidal?!"

"Please," she scoffs. "Even if he was, there's nothing in his room for him to off himself with. He'll be at my mercy for as long as I please."

My fist narrowly misses her caked face. I recoil back as pain erupts from my hand and shoots up my arm. I couldn't let her get away with this, but I hurt all over for me to do anything. Jessica attempt to swing at me. I grab her arm and use my draining strength to push her against the wall. Her head bounces on the wall and she is out cold. Good thing too. If I'd taken another hit, I would've definitely collapsed.

I exit the door, carefully making sure she's still out cold before I limp to a series of doors.

"Babe? Where are you? It's me, Jay," I whisper into the keyholes.

"N-no...I can't be hallucinating already," moans a familiar voice. "I k-know it's my f-fault you're gone, Jay."

"Aiden! Come on, let me in! It's really me!" I insist.

"Please stop taunting me, Jay's Ghost. I'm sorry I couldn't keep you from getting hurt, but haunting me isn't the way to find peace."

"Ghost? Baby, I'm as real as global warming. Just let me in and I can prove it. Trust me!"

"I _can't_. I've trusted too many times and look what happened. I...I can't do it anymore. Besides, the door locks from the outside. To get in here, you'd need a key, assuming I'm not talking to a door and have gone crazy.."

"Aiden...you have every right not to trust me...especially after what I did to you before…"

 _Our faces were just inches from each other, only this time, we weren't staring at each other in love and about to kiss. I couldn't understand how he went from being ready to take Jessica to trial to being hesitant and about to pull out. This was supposed to be a victory for him. For us!_

" _Babe, what gives?" I whispered. "Aren't you ready?"_

 _He frowned at me and shook his head._

" _I don't know if I'm doing the right thing here. Yes, Jessica's hurt me badly...but she's only seventeen. Is sending her to jail really our only option?"_

" _How can you say something so selfish, acting like you're the only victim here," I chided. I wasn't mad at Aiden, but my misplaced anger from the school day had to go somewhere._

" _I did not say that and you know it, Jason. Have you forgotten what she's capable of?"_

" _This is why we need to take her down now. Why you need to be all in now."_

" _Jason. I. Told. You. I. Wasn't. Ready," he spat, punctuating every last word._

" _That's not what you said last night," I reminded him, remembering the night I spent with him in my arms as we fell asleep together. Aiden's scowl deepened._

" _I changed my mind. Why should I confide in you competely, anyway, you don't tell me everything," he responded in an accusatory manner. Something in me flares up, and my defensive walls start to go up._

" _What else is there to tell," I snapped. He knew that I was trans already, that my dad hated the fact that I wouldn't be a girl like he wanted me to be, that he hates our relationship, and that I loved him...dearly. I didn't think he needed to hear about the transphobic slur one of my classmates threw my way during glee club practice. He didn't need to know about the nights I spent crying myself to sleep while I started transitioning, because I missed him_ _ **so much**_ _and yet I couldn't see him. He definetely didn't need to know about me starting to wonder if I was in denial about my feelings, So why did he want to know all that?_

 _Aiden and I looked up and notice everyone staring at us, so we excused ourselves and head into to foyer._

" _Aiden, you just need to trust me on this. You already know everything you need to know about me, so just stop pushing on it."_

" _That makes no sense I can't willingly rely on you if I don't even know you on an intimate level. I know something's wrong and I just want to know what...Besides,. I said I'm not ready. You need to respect that."_

" _I do, but you need to understand that if we don't stop her now, we might not have another chance to do so," I said, clasping his hands. "Babe, can't you just trust me on this?"_

" _Trust you? Are you kidding? HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ME TO TRUST YOU WHEN YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL ME WHEN YOU'RE UPSET?!" he exploded viciously. It made me stumble back a little. Sure, Aiden's raised his voice before, but never to that degree. He looked a little shocked himself. I scowled and turned away from him. What is it with him and trying to pry open doors that didn't need to be opened? A torrent of emotions swirled in me. I clenched my fists and tried to steady my breathing. I was going to lose it if just one thing sets me off-_

 _Aiden sighed and put a hand on my shoulder._

 _Don't react...don't react...don't react..._

" _Look, Jay, I'm sorry. I should'd have gotten upset. I know you're probably going through a-"_

 _I couldn't take it anymore...the taunts...the staring...the fake sympathy...it all came crashing down on me. In hindsight, Aiden was just trying to make me feel better, but at that point, I saw red. I whirled around and swung at something. Anything to make everything go away._

" _I don't need your damn sympathy," I roared._

 _I didn't even realize I'd hit him until I saw him on the ground clutching his bruised cheek, then saw my still-clenched hand. My heart skipped a beat. I blinked several times, hoping the image was just a figment of my imagination. He was still there, angry tears starting to pool in his soulful eyes._

 _I still remember the look of pure anguish when he shakily whispered, "_ _ **I trusted you.**_ "

 _I already had Aiden's trust, and because of pure stupidity I lost it._

"Jay, I've already forgiven you for that," Aiden says softly. "It's in the past."

"I know, but that's just my point. People have lied to you, abused you...If I can ever make things right, I have to do this. No more blind trust. I'll go get that key."

"But Jessica has it!" he gasps. "If she sees you...oh wait."

"I'm not a ghost, babe!"

"I'll know it when I see it."

"Fine. I'll go get that key."

Ace's POV

"Have you seen this girl? These girls? This guy?" I ask a passerby, handing him a flyer. The guy looks at the paper and shakes his head. He throws it in the trash. I try handing papers to other people on the street. They either ignore me or rudely throw the papers away in front of me. It's been two and a half weeks since they've gone missing. Wes says it's a little too early to completely worry, but knowing Jessica, I can't help it. 10 minutes pass, and not a single student has bothered to respond. I scowl deeply. Bastards.

The school bell rings, and the teachers start ushering students into the classroom. I head into the office for morning announcements.

"Good morning, Berry and Lakeside High," a girl chirps on the intercom. Ugh, they're still here? "This is Maria Flores here with a fellow classmate Ace de la Cruz for an important announcement."

Maria hands the microphone to me.

"Greetings, fellow stu- hey guys," I say. I can practically hear all the gasping at my break in formality. "In case you haven't noticed, five students have gone missing last week. Uma Nguyen, Ava Edwards, Jason Parker, Aiden Zhou...and Rose Brinkwater."

One by one, each of their faces flash on the screen, ending at Rose's beaming face. A lump forms in my throat, but I ignore it. I clear my throat.

"I know many people aren't her biggest fan right now, but she and her friends are in danger...I'd hate if something bad happened to any of them because I couldn't save them. So please, it's the least you can do to help me look for them. Anonymous tips in my locker are appreciated. Thank you for your time."

I hand the mic back and Maria finishes up the announcements. She catches up to me on my way to my locker soon after.

"Hey," she says. "About your announcement. I'm so sorry that happened to your friends...especially Rose and Aiden."

"You know them?" I ask.

"We were classmates at Berry freshman year. Everyone was so happy when they started dating in the winter. Everything seemed fine...until the day Rose suddenly left and never came back. We never knew why…"

"Rose was being bullied at that high school," I admit. Maria gasps, then scowls.

"How come she never told us?" she demands. "We could've totally helped her out!"

"She couldn't," I tell her. "The person who was bullying her threatened to harm any student that got involved. Especially Aiden, who was her boyfriend at the time."

"Oh, God...Rose," she mumbles. "How could she stand this for so long? And her problems just went right under our noses..."

"I don't blame you," I say. "She didn't even open up to her best friend until she found out. Even then, Rose swore her to secrecy. I gotta get to my locker and see if I have any leads. Thanks for letting me make that announcement."

"No problem," Maria says. "Anything to help you find Rose."

I open my locker, and several notes fall out.

 _Don't bother finding that reject, Ace. She's not worth your pain._

 _I feel bad for the others, having to be stuck with Rose wherever they are._

 _How do we know this isn't a final ploy for attention from Rose?_

 _Why bother, they're all better off dead, anyway._

The papers crumble in my fists, and it's all I can do to stop myself from kicking my locker. Maria picks up one of the notes and frowns.

"Damn...these people are ungrateful," I mutter, shaking my head in dismay. "They don't even care if something bad happened to Rose and the others."

Maria puts a hand on my shoulder.

"We'll help you find your friends," she says.

"Who's 'we'?" I ask.

"Some old friends of Aiden and Rose's. You should sit with us at lunch," she offers. I shrug. What have I got to lose?

Wes's POV

"...my dad's looking everywhere possible for them," Ross says. "But there are somethings even he can't do."

"I understand," I sigh and hang up, running a hand through my hair in frustration. This search was getting more hopeless by the minute. Jessica covers her tracks well. Too well. Ace asked me to follow him at lunch. I hope it's a new lead.

When Ace and I get to the lunch table, a bunch of kids I recognize from Berry are sitting there.

"Michael," I greet, smirking at my former classmate. "It's been a while."

"Wes," he responds with a similar grin. "I see you haven't changed a bit."

"Guys, this is my buddy, Ace," I say as Ace shakes each of their hands.

"They know," Ace says. "I talked to Maria earlier. They're going to help us find Rose and the others."

"We couldn't find them," I grumble. "How could they do it?"

"Because they'll be more of us actually looking for them."

"Jessica will definitely get suspicious if she sees us working together," I say. "We shouldn't put anyone else's lives at risk."

"After what she's already done," Myra says. "We've passed that point."

The others nod in agreement. We hear someone else clear their throats behind us. Ace turns around and scowls.

"Well, if it isn't the backstabbers squad," he sneers.

Julian opens his mouth to retort, "You're one to sp-"

Autumn elbows him.

"Look, we're sorry about what happened to Rose and Ava," Payton says.

"A lot of good that does now," I snap. "All of you were Rose's closest friends. Not a single one of you went to back her up when you know she would've done the same for you!"

"It's not like we had a choice," Mia retorts. "Do you know the kind of dirt she has on us? We shouldn't even be talking to you right now-"

"Then leave," I hiss coldly.

"Wes," Autumn gasps. I roll my eyes. "We want to help."

"We don't need help! Maria and the others, they couldn't have known. But you all? She went to you for help and you all turned on her. Even you, Autumn," I snarl, getting up with a start. I can't deal with this right now. Shaking my head, I storm off. I head towards the slacker hangouts. Some skaters look up when I approach but quickly turn away when they notice my expression. I flop on one of the couches and sigh heavily. I hear someone's footsteps approach.

"Wes," Autumn says softly.

"Go away," I growl.

"I know, what we did was incredibly selfish," she continues. "But you have to at least let us make things right for them."

"Autumn...you don't understand do you? Rose is like a little sister to me, since her brother's in college and my brother's in prison. I let her get hurt on my watch."

"It's not your fault, Wes," she tells me. "You couldn't have known that they were going to get kidnapped."

"By association, I am. I should've known Jessica was going to try to hurt them after the first day of the trial. At this point, they're trying to declare a mistrial if we don't find Rose and the others in time."

"That's why we have to he-"

" _Autumn_. I know you want to help," I say in resignation. "But...this is something Ace and I need to take on ourselves. You and the others can't always be there for us. But Rose always was. Remember that Thanksgiving. Rose went out of her way to make sure I wouldn't be alone that day. I even met her brother Roscoe for the first time. Proved to be a useful ally, but I digress. Rose was sick but we had a great time. That's why rescuing her is so personal to me.

"Oh, Wes," she sighed. "This may be the only way we can make it up to you guys. We'll always be waiting in case you change your mind...but if not...goodbye I guess."

"Bye, Autumn."


	20. All I ask

**BlackCanary98: I completely understand, I have school work too. I just finished a week of exams, believe it or not. I'm still debating on whether or not I should kill off Jessica, especially since she tried to blame Aiden for Jason's "death." As for Jason, he's alive, but still pretty sore. At least he got his revenge in Chapter 19. Yeah, Wes is pretty pissed of that the people he thought Rose trusted the most turned on her. And those Lakeside students? Man, forget them. They'll just do the same thing they did when Rose was proven right in the Ace quests. Only this time, the option will be to NOT forgive them :D**

Asher's POV

"Kitchen Duty," I groan as Jessica hands me an apron. "You know this is the work of peasants."

"Deal with it, I have a headache," she scoffs, rubbing the bandage on her head.

"From what?" I ask. She scowls.

"One of the inmates got a little feisty earlier. As far as I know, he's still in the building. But I don't know where. I better make sure everyone else is still locked u-"

She freezes, frantically searching her pockets.

"Lost something?" I ask with a smirk.

"That freaking crossdresser stole my keys!" she seethes. "He must be trying to free his friends! Ugh, just make sure the guests are content. I'll be right back."

She storms off. Rose trails in soon after. She doesn't look at me when she pulls out some utensil and takes out a cookbook. I snort.

"You seem to know what you're doing," I say.

"It's called learning how to cook, ever heard of it?" she snaps, rolling her brown eyes. I take a strand of her pink hair and twirl it around my finger. She whirls around, eyes flashing with fury.

"Hey, now, that's no way to treat a friend," I tease.

"Why are you talking to me?" She hisses. "Aren't you better off being Jessica's little pet?"

"Is this about what I said at dinner a few weeks ago? I'm just trying to make sure no one ends up getting killed."

"Cowards usually die first," she remarks.

"Survivors don't," I reply.

"Asher," she says, turning fully around to face me. "I have a strong feeling that Aiden and Jason are not the only guys she's used in the past."

"There's nothing like that going on, Rosemary. Jess and I...we're friends with benefits."

"And you're just ok with her hurting other people? How selfish can you be?"

I glare at her.

"That's not my battle to fight. You want justice, look in a town that isn't dominated by how much money you have."

"Then don't talk to me," she huffs. "I only have time for people willing to fight. I bet your mother would be ashamed to see you now."

I turn on her, fists clenched.

"What do you know about my mother?" I demand, looming dangerously close.

"It was all over the news, Asher," she hisses. "Your mother died in a plane crash. You were devastated when you heard. You were just a kid. Of course, your dad didn't have time to comfort you, he was too consumed in his own grief. That's why you fool around, but you've never been able to have a healthy relationship. And little by little, it's destroying you."

"You...you don't know what you're talking about!"

"Asher, she's using you the same way she used my friends. By taking advantage of their weaknesses. You may think you have the upper hand on her but just look at how quickly she turned on you!"

"I…"

"Look, we don't always see eye to eye on things, but you have to admit that she needs to be stopped. Do you even know what she plans to do to us?"

"No, but if everyone plays along, it won't end up with someone's blood being spilled," I say. Through the window, I see Jessica dragging Aiden into the ballroom by his arm. There's something different about him. Like there's some spark in his eyes that I didn't see before. I turn my attention back to Rose.

"Look, I tried to help you out, but clearly you don't want to be helped-"

"Wait."

"What is it?"

"I want to propose an alliance. I'll help you and your friends escape."

"What's in it for you?"

"My freedom, sanity, peace of mind. Take your pick. You're...you're right about me. She's been playing me the whole time and I just took it because...well, she never tried to put her hands on me."

Rose rolls her eyes.

"What, she has to physically hurt you to come to your senses?"

"I agreed to help you didn't I? Now the first thing is that you all need to learn to fight and fight well."

"I've kicked her ass before," Rose declares.

"Yeah, but you won't have to fight JUST her. There are guards here, like everywhere. Lauren and I would've escaped if we'd seen one watching us on the balcony. Now when the ball is in full swing, you and your crazy haired friends meet me here."

"How we choose to dye our hair is none if your-"

"Not the time for this discussion."

"Ugh, fine. But this better not be one of your little tricks where you gain our trust and stab us in the back later."

"Do I look like Ace to you?"

"Asher!"

Aiden's POV

My heart is racing wildly while Jessica practically drags me to a table in the ballroom.

He's alive.

My boyfriend's alive.

While my face is a mask of stoic indifference, internally I am bursting with joy.

"Um, Earth to Aiden? You're supposed to pull out my seat for me like a gentleman," Jessica interrupts my thoughts.

"Of course," I say through gritted teeth. I pull out her chair for her. Uma's mother and some men I don't recognize are already seated.

"Auntie, allow me to reintroduce you to my boyfriend, Aiden," Jessica says, squeezing my hand.

My skin crawls a little hearing her say that. Her aunt smiles at me, and I am reminded of a shark's grin right before it eats up the little fish.

"It's a pleasure to see you, Mister Zhou," her aunt says. "It's a shame Miss Parker is no longer with us."

"Jay's a guy," I say, trying to keep my anger under control. "In case you haven't read the news, he's a trans male, so he's a boy."

"She's a girl in denial of her identity, trust me. I don't believe in that nonsense of a boy trapped in a girl's body. She was irrational, too bad she had to pay the price for it in that manner," scoffs.

"What would you know about him?" I snap. Jessica's aunt narrows her eyes at me. Jessica nervously laughs.

"Poor thing is still mourning, so it's natural that he has all this pent up rage left. I'll take care of it," she says, whisking me away to a secluded corner in the ball.

"You and I both know he's alive, Jessica!" I hiss. "I heard his voice."

"You were hallucinating. Of course grieving would make you think he's still here."

"Where is he?" I demand.

"I don't know. But I guarantee he won't escape. And neither will you."

"But why me? Aren't there some others willing to court you?"

"They refused to submit to me in exchange for having everything they ever desired."

"Well I don't want this! I don't want to submit to you anymore, no matter how much you promise."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice. The DJ is going to play the first song and we're going to dance together to make sure everyone knows we're together. And at least make this easy on yourself and act like you're having a good time. Ok, sweetheart?"

"Y...yes." I grumble.

Jason's POV

By the time I got the key and returned to Aiden's cell, he was gone. Jessica must have taken him so I couldn't get to him. On the bright side, I found the mixtapes Aiden put together for me while I was in the hospital. He's such a pure hearted soul.

I hear loud music coming from down the hall. Following the sound I come across a fancy ballroom. I look around and narrow my eyes. Of course she's using him to show off. They're dancing in the center of the hallway. Aiden's movements are… certainly more graceful than when I first saw them...but his heart isn't into it. I sneak past the guards and people mingling in the ballroom. I really hope my close don't make me stick out like a sore thumb. I find the DJ.

"Hey," I whisper. "I have a request."

"So do other people in this joint, kid. You'll have to wait your turn."

"Please? Its something special...for someone I care about. The person doesn't know that I'm here, but this song will change that."

He peers at the mixtapes in my hand."

"Uh, kid? I only work with CDs."

Ok, do you know how I could make this into a CD?"

"My station is in the hallway, but I doubt you'd know how to work it."

"I think I'll manage," I snap.

I record all of the songs he put on the tapes. Then I add my own personal touch to it. 30 minutes later I present the CD to the DJ.

"Well, I'm surprised, you actually did it," he says, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Maybe don't underestimate a kid with musical experience."

"Well, you've earned my respect, and I've done most of the other requests, so I guess I can put your little song on for you."

"Thank you."

I scan the ballroom for him, and there he is. For a second, Aiden and I lock eyes, but he quickly turns away. I see a hint of a smile on his face.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a special request for a special person," the DJ announces. Soon, Aiden's piano fills the air, and the guests are enthralled. I sneak a peek at Aiden again. His mouth is open wide. Jessica looks like she's about to have a fit. Then, my voice accompanies his music. I'm filled with nostalgia as everyone listens to the first song I sang for him when I saved him in that frozen lake.

 **(The inspiration for Jason's voice came from Leroy Sanchez. Type in "leroy sanchez all i ask" to hear it.)**

" _I will leave my heart at the door, I won't say a word. They've all been said before you know, so why don't we just play pretend like we're not scared of what's coming next or scared of having nothing left..."_

Jessica's whispering angrily to her aunt, but she seems too hypnotized by my voice to notice or care. Jason, 1. Jessica, 0.

" _Look, don't get me wrong, I know there is no tomorrow. All I ask is...If this is my last night with you, hold me like I'm more than just a friend...Give me a memory I can use...Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do...It matters how this ends, 'cause what if I never love again?"_

My boyfriend tries to cover his face but I can tell he's hiding his bashful grin. He remembers as well as I do. The way his hands glided over the piano. The way he watched my dance around the room as he played. The way we gazed deeply into each other's eyes seeing a spark we had lost over the years.

" _I don't need your honesty, it's already in your eyes. And I'm sure my eyes, they speak for me. No one knows me like you do. And since you're the only one that matters, tell me who do I run to?"_

We lock eyes again. This time, Aiden maintains his focus. I motion for him to follow me after the song ends. He nods almost imperceptibly.

" _Look, don't get me wrong, I know there is no tomorrow. All I ask is...If this is my last night with you, hold me like I'm more than just a friend...Give me a memory I can use...Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do...It matters how this ends, 'cause what if I never love again?"_

Just you wait, Aiden. All of this will be over soon. We'll be together again. Jessica has gotten up, and storms towards my general area. I decide this is a good time to make my grand exit. I hastily move away just enough for her to miss seeing me.

" _Let this be our lesson in love, let this be the way we remember us...I don't wanna be cruel or vicious, and I ain't asking for forgiveness…"_

Jessica has made her way to the DJ and demands that he change the song. The DJ shrugs and tells her that the song's almost over anyway, and besides, the people love it. She scowls and threatens him. The DJ calls her a...well, let's just say I'd never use this word around my sisters. Jessica turns read and stalks off.

" _All I ask is...If this is my last night with you, hold me like I'm more than just a friend...Give me a memory I can use...Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do...It matters how this ends, 'cause what if I never love again?"_

The guests are cheering and applauding as the music fades out. I catch Aiden's attention and beckon for him to follow me. I wait until we're in front of his room before I throw my arms around him and kiss him passionately. I pull away long enough to see that he's crying.

"Babe? What's wrong?" I ask, stroking his cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Jason. I shouldn't have let you get hurt that day," he murmurs. "I thought...I thought you died...I saw your monitor flatline at the hospital."

"Well, I am pretty sore….but I'm fine. And this is not your fault. I shouldn't have let those asswipes get a rise out of me. Are...are you hurt?"

"Who cares?"

"I do, dork," I laugh, kissing him once more on the crook of his neck, trailing further down. He laughs as well. "Seriously, I'm glad you're ok now. I thought she'd done something horrible to you."

"Jason, are you aware that we're in an open hallway and anyone can come and catch us?" he says with a smirk.

"Perhaps we can make up for lost time in your room perhaps?" I suggest. Aiden's cheeks turn bright red.

"I...uh...what if Jessica comes looking for us…?" he stammers.

"She won't. I have the key, remember? Come on, I missed you."

"I missed you too," he says, kissing me back. "It's been weeks since we saw each other, hasn't it?"

We enter his room and shut the door behind us. We continue right where we left off. We're in there for hours, probably. I lost track of time after the first twenty minutes. Aiden's lying on my chest covered with my hoodie, the only thing besides my jeans and sneakers I had left. My arms are wrapped around his waist as we just lie there.

"Jay," he whispers. "When will we get out of here?"

I ruffle his hair a little and respond, "Soon, babe. We'll be free. Where's Rose and the others?"

"They're in different cells. Jessica has forbidden all of them from speaking to me. I'm glad you showed up when you did. I was getting lonely."

"Well, you certainly don't feel lonely tonight, do you?" I tease, gently nipping at his neck. He reddens and buries his face into my chest.

"You just love making me flustered, don't you?" he mutters.

"It's a cute look on you, to be honest."

Aiden groans goodnaturedly.

"You're lucky I love you so much."

"Hell yeah, you do."

His breathing becomes slower and more relaxed. He's just fallen asleep when the door creaks open. I hold Aiden protectively, ready to defend him if need be.

"He's asleep," I hiss at the figure. A feminine voice laughs cruelly.

"Oh, it doesn't matter now that Aiden knows the truth, because tomorrow, he's going to be legally engaged to me."

"Wait...what? He's like, 16. He's not old enough to be engaged to anyone, let alone you."

"It's illegal to get married before you're eighteen. The law says nothing about being engaged. I'll bring his parents and have them sign an agreement. He'll be mine before the end of the day."

"They'll never agree to this."

"With a little persuasion and coercion, they will, Jay. They don't have a choice unless they want his blood on their hands. So enjoy the little time you have with him, because when I'm done, you won't see him again."

No...I just got him back, I can't lose him again. My grip tightens on Aiden. It's only when he starts to fidget that I loosen it. I have to find Rose and the others. We have to get out of here, and fast.

(Sneak Peek of the next chapter)

Uma's POV

Asher paces the kitchen, sizing us up.

"Hey, wise guy, you mind not eying us like meat?" Ava snaps, growing agitated with Asher's silence.

"I have to see what I'm working with, my fiery ruby," he says flirtatiously.

" **I have a girlfriend** ," she growls. Asher shrugs and backs up.

"Whatever. What matters right now is getting ready for you to fight. And that begins now."

He turns away from us for a moment, then whirls around. A frying pan suddenly goes flying at our heads!

"Ahh!" I scream.


	21. Two Hotheads and a Convoluted Engagement

**BlackCanary98: Yeah, exams suck. I'm glad you liked the song and Aiden and Jason's moment together. Who's your favorite couple in the fic? Rest assured, Jason's going to turn the tables on Jessica soon. It does seem like Asher has an ulterior motive, doesn't it? I'll continue to entertain the thought about killing Jessica in the end, but I know for sure that will definitely turn her back in her fellow classmates as they've done to her.**

Ava's POV

Rose and Uma duck as the frying pan comes flying at us. I deflects it with a swift swing of my leg. Don't try this at home, that hurt like a bitch.

"You're going to have to do better than throwing random pots and pans at us," I sneer. "Rose, I think this is a waste of time. I'm pretty sure this guy's never been in a fight before."

Asher narrows his eyes at me but retains his composure.

"Well, that was your first test, and pathetically, only one of you passed," he says rudely.

"Asher, we came to you for help, not for you to make fun of us," Rose chides, crossing her arms.

"It's called tough love, ever heard of it?" he snaps back. "Now this time, Smurfette and Rose, try not to act like a pair of babies."

He turns around again, and this time, another pan goes flying. Rose deflects it this time but Uma ducks again. Asher scowls at me.

"You know, maybe instead of throwing things at us we could actually practice some fighting moves," I say, crouching down until I am eye level with my girlfriend. "You ok, Uma?"

Uma smiles and leans on my shoulder.

"I'm better, now that you're here," she says. I smirk and give her a kiss on the cheek.

"How the hell are we supposed to get anything done if you keep coddling her like this?" Asher groans, glowering at the two of us.

"Maybe not everyone is built for tough love, rich boy. Of course you wouldn't understand that."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" He demands.

"Why, didn't daddy give you enough hugs as a child. Neither did mine, and we both turned out to be assholes. I could never let that happen to Uma," I say, ruffling my girlfriend's hair.

"Earth to Flame-Girl, may I remind you that we are in some sort of fancy prison with almost no means of escape, and our only option is to fight our way out? And now you want to go easy on the little brat just because she's too soft to handle it?"

"I am NOT soft!" Uma yells, causing us to jump. This was the second time I've seen her lose her temper. I'm a little worried. "I just...I just don't want to have to fight Jessica or my mom. I really hate them...I mean, I REALLY hate them and all they stand for, but they're family."

Could Uma's loyalty be hanging in the balance.

"Screw family," Asher sneers. "What can they do for me that I haven't already done for myself. I got myself into Statton, I became one of the most popular boys in the 11th grade by myself, and I've been the director of every little play you've starred in, Miss Blueberry. I brought myself to the top by myself. Without the help of my self-serving dad. So when I say screw family, I mean you've gotta cut ties with them and fight back if you have to."

"When did you become such a vigilante," I taunt him. "I heard you're a pain in the ass when it comes to directing, and all your so called friends secretly hate you."

"Up yours, wench," he hisses.

"Make me," I threaten in a low voice. My hand gropes for something to fight back with in case Asher decides to retaliate. My fingers grope a knife. Asher and I eye each other intensely. He also pulls out a knife from behind his back. Rose gasps.

"Guys we don't have time for this!" she tries to get in between us, but Asher and I are on each other, blades clashing like the age of chivalry has reemerged.

"Still think you can take me on?" He growls. "I was the top fencer in my freshman and junior year."

"Your skills are a bit rusty," I comment, deflecting what could have been a brutal blow. "Gooding I've done cheerleading for 3 years. I secretly hated it, but it helps that I have such fast reflexes."

Just when I have him in a vulnerable position, I raise my weapon for the coup de grace.Uma wraps her arms around me and pulls me away as Rose does the same to Asher. I gentle loosen her grip on me and drop the knife. I sigh in frustration.

"Damn, Jessica was right about you," Asher remarks as a final venomous jab. "You're still a psycho bitch like you were when you tried to get rid of Ace.

I open my mouth to retort, but nothing comes out. He's right. I lost my temper and nearly killed him because of it. Just like I almost killed Cruz.

"I...I think I just need to head to bed," I gasp. "You guys can pick this up tomorrow...I'm not really in the mood for fighting right now."

I take off as fast as I can, narrowly missing Jessica walking out of Aiden's room. I try not to confront her and walk away, but she calls out to me.

"Avie," she croons, using the nickname she knows only Uma calls me.

"What were you just doing in there? Jason would probably kill you if he found out you hurt Aiden again."

"Pfft, he's too busy having my fiance wrapped up in his arms to notice."

"Fiance?!"

"Duh, we'll get engaged tomorrow. I'm bringing his parents to sign an agreement. We'll twist their arms behind if we have to to get them to sign it."

"You can't do this, you know he's in love with Jason. You know you have no right to get in between their relationship," I sneer.

"Oh, like you had the right to interfere in Rose and Ace's relationship, Avie?" She laughs. "Or did you get selective amnesia and conveniently forget the part where you almost killed a guy because he got close to your crush. Let's see here, you got another guy to beat him up and send him to the hospital, you have him food poisoning that landed him in the hospital a second time, you made a website that relentlessly bullied him and Rose until one incident drives him off the edge and attempt suicide to earn a third hospital visit, you've shot and tasted him, the toll of which came down when you attacked him in a fit of rage after Rose was injured trying to save his life, putting him in...you guessed it! The hospital. So that means you tried to kill him on at least 4 separate occasions...my, my, what a huge rap sheet you've gotten!"

She lists off everything I've done to Cruz on her manicured fingers, my face growing redder my the minute.

"G-go to hell," I choke out. She snickers in an unnerving manner.

"You see, Ava, we're not that different, are we?" She taunts. "We're both willing to do drastic things to get what we want…"

"You're wrong about me," I mutter. "I'm not like that anymore. My actions put my friend's life in danger. I'd never do what you're doing to Aiden. You've physically abused him and manipulated him to turn him against Rose. I'm not justifying what I did, but I sure as hell don't think the ends justify the means in either case."

"Well, well, Miss Avalina Edwards-"

"Don't call me by my full name!"

"Whatever, Avie. It seems you're taking the high road now. I was like that once...like that little pest, Uma. I'm embarrassed to say I share blood with her. But then I realized that no one was going to give me the things I want. I had to take them. So if that means claiming Aiden as my suitor and making sure no one else can have him, so be it!"

With a toss of her hair, she flounces off, leaving me alone. I retreat into my room, where I collapse on the bed and fall into a dreamless sleep.

Mrs. Zhou's POV

The note, trembling in my shaky hands, reads. iF You WaNt to sEe yOUr SoN aGaiN, fOlLow ThIs AddrEsS. NO COPs.

"My child, that monster has him!" I cry, grasping Glen's hands.

"There must be some catch," Glen says. "There's no way she's going to willingly release Aiden to us without something in return. We ought to be careful.

"How can you say that when she's probably hurting him as we speak?" I demand. "Get the keys, we're going to get him back now."

"As much as I'd like to see my son back in one piece, I do think you're...being irrational."

"I was irrational when there were clear signs of her abuse and yet I believed the good in her. Now I'm ready to fight back. Let's go."

I open the door and two students greet me at the door.

"I'm sorry but we don't have time to talk," I say, trying to push past them.

"Wait! Mrs. Zhou, we're friends of Aiden's. We're looking for him and we were wondering if you had any leads," a boy with a freshly cut coif gasps frantically.

"That's where we're headed, but-"

"Mind if we that along? It could get dangerous," a boy with shaggy brown hair interrupts. "We can follow your car."

"I know you want to help, kids but we can't afford the risk," Glen says.

"Look, I get that...but my girlfriend was kidnapped with him just a few days apart. Please...let me find her and your son," the first one pleads.

"Fine," I groan in exasperation. "But make sure no one knows you're following us."

"Deal," they say in unison.

It's a quiet, but intense trip in the car. The address was far away, in an obscure place no one would even think to look for Jessica. We get out told the car and head to the front of the building. The guards at the door let us through.

"Aiden?" I gasp loudly. "Aiden, precious, say something if you can hear me!"

A girl's damned laughter rings in the air.

"YOU!" I seethe, pointing angrily at where the devilish girl sat. "Where is he?"

"Oh, keep your shirt on lady. He'll be here," one of the guards snaps.

"In the meantime," Jessica says. "You two can step into my office."

"I'd rather step on your neck, you entitled brat," Glen spits. "I can't believe we ever trusted you with our son."

Jessica rolls her eyes and ushers us in. She and an older woman who looks like her fill us in on what's going on. Glen and I gasp when we hear about how long Aiden has been a target for their society.

"He was just a child when you sought him out," Glen sneers. "How could you agree to this?"

"Well, you know Aiden's a very talented young man. He's very gifted in the music department. I heard he's already got a spot at Juilliard. Very impressive, I must say," the older woman says, leaving through a file with our son's face on it. "Of course he's such a high target here. We were out the extremely wealthy or the extremely gifted. Your son fell into the latter category. Of course, it shouldn't have had to come to this Mr. And Mrs. Zhou, but our plans to have him court my niece Jessica here were interrupted when this Rose character came into the equation.'

The door bursts open, and a disheveled Aiden stumbles into the room, flanked by guards.

"What...what time is it?" He mumbles, clearly disoriented. "M-mom? Is that you?"

I wrap my arms around him and hold him close.

"I'm so glad you're safe," I whisper, tears falling from my face.

"Where am I?" He asks.

"It doesn't matter," I say. "We're going home now."

Glen and I stand up to leave but guards block our exit.

"I can't let do that until you sign this contract, making your son legally engaged to my niece," the woman says cooly.

"Never!" I bark. "I'd rather die than let that bitch near my son again."

"I thought you might say that, so here's a little incentive. I have 6 other teenagers in my possession. For every hour you refuse to sign the contract...one of them will...disappear. So do you really want blood on your hands?"

Just then, Jason holding a large document in his hands bursts in with two guards chasing him.

"Come on guys, you couldn't even join me for the victory lap?" He teases. The woman snatches the document out of his hands.

"I'll take that, young lady," she snaps. "Here."

She hands the contract to us. Aiden reaches out for the comfort of his boyfriend's arms.

"J-jay…" he murmurs. "I'm so tired all of a sudden.

"Did you drug him?" Jason demands.

"Drug is a strong word, little lady. I prefer the word, sedated. And yes, we had to."

Jason's fist clench as he holds Aiden steady. Glen and I read over the contract. We get to one phrase am in particular...and stop. We look up. Jason gives us a knowing smirk. He must have tampered with the contract. I just hope it's the right move for him and Aiden.

"After reading the terms of your agreement, we've decided to sign the contract," Glen says. Jason pretends to be horrified.

"You can't do this," he rages. "I thought you loved him!"

"We do, but we've decided that this is what's best for him," I say as Glen and I sign the paper. Aiden, apparently somewhat cohesive, visibly panics."

"What are you doing?" He slurs. "Don't take me away from Jay!"

He clutches his boyfriend's arms, trembling.

"I'm sorry, Aiden dear, but your parents have signed time contract. Until this is null and void you are legally engaged to...Jason?!"

Jessica steps back as she and her mother reread the contract. Apparently, Jason had gotten a hold of the contract and swapped his name for hers. Hence why the guards were chasing him.

"This is a fraud!" The woman bellows.

"Well, we signed the contract, so we're out of here," Jay states. "Adios, putas!"

(Bye,whores!)

"This is not fair!" Jessica screams. "You changed the terms. This is NOT what we agreed to. He's supposed to be engaged to me!"

"Well we didn't ask to be kidnapped! Now If you'll excuse me, I'm going to break the news to my new fiance."

He walks out with Aiden in tow. I decide to follow them. Jason gently rubs his face, giving water to drink.

"Jay...what happened in there?" He asks.

"Well...and I need you to be very calm about this...Jessica tried to get you engaged to her...so I did a little switcheroo, and now you're engaged to...me."

Aiden gasps.

"I know this is hella sudden, and I haven't even proposed to you, but I thought it was the only way to get them to leave us alone. I understand if you want to break off the engagement and wait a few more years...Babe, are you ok? You look like you're about to pass out."

In fact, he does.


	22. Slipping

**Random Trivia:**

 **Height: Wes(Tallest), Ace, Jason, Aiden, Ava/Jessica, Rose, Uma(Shortest)**

 **Age: Wes(17), Ace (17), Jason(17), Aiden (16), Ava (17), Jessica (17), Rose (16), Uma (17)**

 **Race/Ethnicity: Wes (Unsure), Ace (Filipino), Jason (Caucasian with 1/4 of Mexican blood from his mother. Everyone in the family ignores it.), Aiden (Chinese), Ava (French-Greek), Jessica (Vietnamese), Rose (African-Dominican), Uma (Vietnamese)**

 **Temper: Ava (Quickest), Jessica, Jason, Ace, Rose, Wes, Aiden, Uma (Slowest)**

Aiden's POV

When I come to, my head is spinning and I have no clue where I am. Someone stands over me, pressing something wet and soft to my forehead.

"There, you should relax," I hear a male's voice say. "

"Jason?" I say. "I feel so...dizzy."

"I know...this is my fault. I left you alone when I left this morning to snatch that contract."

"What contract?" I vaguely remember Jason mentioning something about a contract and Mrs. Nguyen waving a paper in front of my parents' faces.

"...I'll tell you later. Did you eat or drink anything while I was gone?"

I squint a little, trying to remember.

 _When I woke up, Jason was gone. I got up in a panic, thinking something happened to him while I was asleep. I made it to the door. It was unlocked._

"Where did you go?" I ask, unable to focus any longer.

"I just told...I went to go get a contract."

"What contract?" I can tell Jason's getting a bit frustrated. He curses under his breath.

"What did she put in that drug?" he mutters, stroking my cheek. He sighs. "I'm never gonna get anything out of you soon, am I?"

"Wait, please. I can try to remember."

 _After I found the door unlocked...the most part is hazy. I remember going into the dining hall where Jessica kept us for meals, hoping he'd be there. He wasn't. I turned around to leave when I ran smack into Jessica in the doorway. She gave me a sweet (albeit false) smile._

" _The others are still in their rooms, sweetie, but you should still eat your breakfast. You'll want to have a full stomach when you get the big news this morning," she told me._

" _Surprise? What surprise? And how do I know you didn't do something to this food?" I asked. I hate to say this, but this wasn't the first time she'd done this. She pouted._

" _Sweetheart don't you trust me?" she said, cupping my cheek. I staggered away from her. "I'm doing this for you. For_ us _. I made a mistake and I'm willing to fix things with you as much as I can. Here, I'll take a bite if it makes you feel better."_

 _She took a fork and ate some part of what was on the plate._

" _See?" she said, taking my hand in hers. Her grip was too strong for me to pull away this time. "I think we need to work on trusting each other more, since we'll be seeing a lot more of each other in the future._

"I suppose this is the part where she convinced you to eat and got you drugged?" Jason interrupts, holding my head in his lap. I feel a little nauseous and still tired. My eyes threaten to close. Jay squeezes my hand gently. "Babe, I need you to stay with me for a little longer, please. Now, did you get drugged after you ate? Or was it something else?"

"...It wasn't a smart move on my part, but my hunger won out. I hadn't eaten anything since the morning before. And soon after I'd finished and she'd left, I felt...very tired and strange...kinda like I was floating."

 _No sooner had I left the dining hall, my legs felt very weak, like someone had taken the bones out of me. I stumbled a little, grabbing the wall for support. Soon after, my arms began to feel sluggish as well. I barely kept my eyes open for long. I collapsed on the ground. I vaguely remember calling out Jay's name and hearing someone approach before I passed out._

"No wonder I feel so awful," I say. I think I'm starting to slip away again. "J-jason, I-"

"It's ok, you can rest now," he says. "I have someone's ass to kick."

I think I know who he's talking about, and it's clear that he hasn't learned his lesson from when those awful men ambushed him. I force myself upwards and grab his arm.

"Don't...you...dare…" I hiss through clenched teeth, unsure of how much energy I had left. "Thought I...lost you before...can't go through that again…"

Jason's eyes soften.

"Come on, don't waste your energy," he pleads. "I can handle this."

"That's... what you said... before you…"

I don't finish my sentence as I am swept into darkness.

Jason's POV

With Aiden out cold again, I walk out of the room where Mr and Mrs. Zhou are waiting for me. I produce a recorder from my pocket and hand it to them.

"Is he...ok?" Mrs. Zhou asks.

"The drug hasn't worn off. He's fading in and out," I tell her. "At least we have more evidence for the trial."

"There won't _**be**_ a trial if we can't even get out of here. There are guards blocking the exit," she hisses. She storms back into the room.

"Let me guess, your mother was never this protective over you," Mr. Zhou says.

"In my parents' eyes, I'm still their misguided daughter," I grumble. "In fact, I'm surprised you're even ok with me dating your son."

"Well, we can see you really care about Aiden," he says. "I thought he'd never find another partner, much less a boyfriend after what went down with Jessica."

 _Fiance, actually, but whatever. I hope whatever contract they tried to force on Aiden is legally binding. Otherwise there'll be no stopping Jessica and her aunt from trying to claim him a second time. In the meantime, I should really tell Aiden about me altering the contract, making us legally engaged. I just hope he won't be upset when he finds out._

"I do...we've been friends since we were kids...and I left him without giving a reason. It was fate that we crossed paths again. I just wish I'd found him sooner."

"We're to blame for what happened to him. We didn't believe him when he told us Jessica was no good for him. Then he left home for weeks. We thought...that we'd never see him again," He muses, his voice cracking a little.

"Well, now you have the chance to make it up to him and be there for him now. That's what I had to do when I first rescued him...even though he didn't know it was me."

"I suppose you're right, Jason. I just hope Aiden will be alright when whatever they've got in his system wears off."

(Sneak Peek)

Ace's POV

Wes and I are hiding in the ballroom. We took off after we found out about Jason changing the document so that he and Aiden would be engaged instead of Aiden and Jessica. Not the move I would have chosen, but at least it may put some legal protection on them. Wes is dialing 911 as we speak. The police should be here soon. Hopefully. I tap Wes on the shoulder. He hangs up and turns to look at me.

"What's up?"

"Do you have any idea where the others are?" I ask.

"I saw some rooms while we were running. They're probably there."

My heart stirs a little at the thought of seeing my precious girlfriend again. It's been weeks since I last saw her.

"Rose…"

"Easy there, lover boy. We still need to find a way to locate them without Jessica noticing us."

"I kinda wish we'd brought Autumn and her friends with us-"

"We. Don't. Need. Them," Wes hisses. "Besides, Maria and the others are outside ready to enter at my command. We have enough people. Now follow my lead. Initiating Rescue Mission...now."

"When do you say that?"

"It's from some dumb spy show Rose makes me wa- Never mind. Keep moving."


	23. If This Is My Last Night With You

**BlackCanary98: Yeah, that's a plot twist. Sadly, Jason's actions will have reprecussions in this chapter, But you'll see Aiden's reaction to being engaged in this chapter. I'm glad you like Rose/Ace and Aiden/Jason. As for their escape, we'll see.**

Ace's POV

"So this is what trouble in paradise looks like," Wes comments quietly as we sneak our way around the halls. Now I see why he wanted me to wear sneakers instead of my usual dress shoes. The slightest sound we make echoes. When we pass by a particular door, we hear voices.

"Rose, he's up to something. We can't trust him," I hear Ava say.

"I know, but he's our only option. Besides, we'll be lucky if Asher wants to help us after yesterday…" Rose says.

"He had it coming, Rose. He's a jerk and he has history with Jessica. He gains our trust and then BAM! He stabs us in the back and switches sides."

"Ava, Rose is right," Uma says. "We don't know where Ace or the others are, I haven't seen Aiden in days and God knows what's happening to Jason."

"I just want to go home and be done with this mess...I miss my home, my friends...I miss Ace...he doesn't even know where I am...he must be worried sick…"

Rose's voice breaks as she starts to sniffle a little.

Wes takes the opportunity to clear his throat. The girls gasp. Wes picks the lock and opens the door. All three of them are sitting on one bed. Rose clasps her hands over her mouth when she sees me. We rush towards each other and hug each other tightly.

"Ace…" she says, her voice muffled. "You really came back for us."

"Oh, Rose...of course. I never stopped looking for you.I'm so glad you're safe," I say, brushing her pink hair out of her tear-stained face. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine…" she says, wrapping her arms around me. I cup her face and press my lips to hers gently at first, then with more vigor. Her soft curly hair falls over my hands. I kiss every tear off her face until she smiles at me.

"You missed me, didn't you Rosie?" I tease, my hands around her waist. I pull her closer until she's just centimeters from my face. She tries to meet my eyes and blushes.

"I was being ridiculous. I knew you would find a way to find me," she giggles turning her face like I can't see her scarlet cheeks.

I don't tell her that we had no leads and were only lucky that we found that Aiden's parents had the address before they left or we would've never find them. I just grin and kiss her forehead.

"I'd hate to interrupt this reunion," Wes says. "But we need to find the others and get the hell out of here."

"What about Asher?" Uma asks. Ava scowls.

"What about him?" she snarls.

"Ava, we can't just leave him here."

"I don't trust him."

"Months ago nobody trusted _you_."

"They still don't. But at least my motives are-"

"Selfish and over the top. You and I both know this, Ava."

"I know that! But I would never try to stab someone in the back in the process!"

"We don't have time for this!" Wes snaps. "I'll see if he's there, the rest of you go find our newly engaged couple."

"WHAT?!" All three girls holler at once.

"It's a long story. Come on!"

We take off in one direction and Wes goes another. We run straight into Mr and Mrs. Zhou. Rose and Mrs. Zhou make eye contact, then look away.

"It's been a while, Rosemary," Mrs. Zhou says, giving her a weak smile. Rose does not return it, opting to look at the ground instead.

"Yes it has, Mrs. Zhou," she replies quietly.

"Call me Bridget," she says. An awkward silence fills the air.

" _I tried to talk to Aiden weeks before Lakeside opened,_ " she whispers. " _I came to his house. Every single time, Jessica was there or his mom told me he wasn't home. One day she told me to stop coming over...that I'd hurt her son enough. She told me how heartbroken he was when I broke up with him. I should have told him right then and there when he checked up on me. But I was so terrified of what Jessica could do to him that I shut up and pushed him away. I doubt she's forgiven me._ "

" _You should try_ ," I whisper back.

Rose walks up to Mrs. Zhou.

"Mrs. Zhou...I know I really hurt your son when I broke up with him-"

"I understand. You were trying to protect him. I shouldn't have let Aiden get involved with Jessica, especially with my growing suspicions. She had me convinced that she was capable of doing no wrong, and that you messed with his emotions."

"I know...and I'm sorry. If I'd known I wouldn't-"

"It's in the past...all we can do is help him."

"Water under the bridge?"

"Of course."

Rose gives her a firm handshake. Jason walks out of a door, wringing his hands.

"Do you want the good news or bad news first?" he asks, running a hand through his hair. He looks tired and worn. He looks up at us. "Oh, hey guys. Long time no see."

"Uh...the good news first?" Mr. Zhou says.

"His nausea is mostly gone and he isn't passing out as often. And he's more coherent."

"Bad News?"

"Whatever Jessica drugged him with is doing crazy things to his mind. Sometimes he recognizes me, sometimes he doesn't. One time he mistook me for Jessica. And-" he turns his head, revealing a footprint. "-you can see where that led. I feeling he's fighting to regain control of himself. But whatever substance he has in his bloodstream is fighting hard as well."

"How is he now?" I ask.

"Now...he thinks he's a lovesick Chinese noble and I'm his betrothed prince. Not that I'm complaining," he says with a grin.

"Did you tell him?" I press, looking at Jason pointedly. He looks confused for a moment before realization hits. His face falls.

"I've tried...but it hasn't clicked."

"Try again."

"I...ok. But I doubt he'll remember this time."

Jason's POV

I walk back into the room. I've gotta find a doctor or something. I...may have fudged the truth when I said Aiden was getting better. He's become delirious. His pulse is slow. Even when I can understand what he's saying, his eyes are glazed, like he's high on something. Aiden sits upright when he sees me and grins. It's him standing here...but it's not _him_.

"Aiden," I say. "I need to tell you something."

"I have something to tell you too, my prince," he says, kissing me on the cheek. He doesn't randomly show his affection, so I can tell he's still under the influence.

"Aiden...after Jessica drugged you, she tried to make your parents sign a contract that would make you engaged to Jessica. But I intervened and changed the contract...so now _we're_ engaged and she can't legally lay a finger on you."

Aiden blinks for a few seconds. He grins.

"Obviously, your highness. Have you've forgotten we've been in love for 6 years?"

Half-true…

"Y-yes but-"

"Shhhh…" he puts a finger to my lips. "Do you hear that?"

"Hrrr whrt?" I say. I hear nothing.

"That music!"

"Uhh...yeah! That music!"

"It's like Beethoven and Mozart have sat together and created a beautiful composition, Jay!" he gushes, holding my face in his hands. "It's...art...so amazing."

He excitedly pulls me up so we're both standing.

"W-what are you doing?" I ask.

"Dance with me, Jason," he says.

Last time I recalled, Aiden can't dance for jack. But I wasn't about to say that to him. Besides, how could I say no to such a cute face?

"With pleasure," I say, putting one hand on his waist and the other grasping his hand. We slowly sway for a while, Aiden humming some tune and his head on my chest.

"I hope we have many moments like this in the future…" he says, trailing kisses on my jawline. "Perhaps when we're married and you become king, no?"

"Of course, Aiden. Many more," I promise.

We dance a little while longer. He grins at me...but this time it fades quickly. He clutches his head.

"Ahhhhh…" he groans, sinking against a wall. "My head...what happened…?"

"Aiden, is it you? Do you recognize me?"

"Yes...I do...Jason...my head hurts…"

"Aiden, I know you're in pain but I need to tell you something… _we're engaged_."

"I know!" he says. "You've said so every time I blacked out!"

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Because _it wasn't me_. Something in me's hurting me really badly. It's warping my mind and I can't control it. What did Jessica put in my food?"

His eyes flutter open and closed. He's slipping away again.

"I'll find a doctor...someone...you'll be ok," I say I'm lying again. I don't think this place has an on call paramedic standing around. Tears sting my eyes. A few drip from my face and land on him. He cups my face, his strength draining. When he speaks, his voice becomes softer and softer.

"...I know you wanted to protect me...I really appreciate...that...I want you to know...whatever happens...it's not me...and there's no one I'd rather be engaged to than you...I love you, Jason Parker...maybe I'll get to take your last name one day."

His hand falls from my face as he goes limp. At least he's still breathing. I pick my fiance up and head out of his room. The others are waiting for us in terse silence.

"We need to leave...now," I say in a shaky voice. "Whatever Jessica gave him...it's slowly killing him. I lied when I said he was getting better. In a brief moment of lucidity, he told me he was in immense pain whenever he wasn't trapped in another delusion."

"What did he say about the two of you being engaged?" Ace asks.

"He's said...that he'd like to take my last name in the future…" I try blinking away my tears, but they're coming too fast and too hard. I force back the sob threatening to burst out. Rose puts a hand on my shoulder.

"We're going to find help for him, Jason. We promise," she tells me. A slow clapping emerges from behind us. I look up and hand Aiden over to his parents.

" _ **I am going to fucking destroy you when I get my hands on you,**_ " I snarl, lunging for Jessica. Some of the guys hold me back. " _ **Let me go! She hurt my fiance! He's dying because of you, bitch!**_ "

Jessica steps back a little so I am just out of her reach. She smirks.

"Now, why would I kill _my_ fiance?" she asks. "Trust me, the dosage in the drug I gave him is enough to drive him crazy until he either kills himself or kills one of you. But...I could give him an antidote…for a price."

"You can't be serious," Ace sneers. "Haven't you put them all through enough pain?"

"I had a feeling Jason would try to intervene in my plan. So now he has two options. Break the engagement and release Aiden to me...and I'll cure him. Or, you can refuse and...well, I hope your bachelor party doesn't end with too much bloodshed."

"You can't do this...we love each other...is this worth it? Threatening to kill a 16 year old because he rejected- no _you_ pushed him away?"

"I can give him everything he wants. SO much more than you ever could and you know that, Jason."

"You're wrong!"

 _She's right…_

Jessica walks over to where Aiden lies motionless in his mother's arms. Mrs. Zhou glares when she comes near, but she stiffens in fear of hurting her son in retaliation. Jessica kisses him. I have every urge to pull her away. Ace senses this and grabs my arm to prevent me from reacting.

"Sweetheart...it didn't have to be this way...but you and your friends have left me no choice," she says, tracing her finger around his cheek. "But don't worry. In three hours we'll see if Jay truly loves you as much as he claims. Until then, I'll be awaiting his answer."

She saunters away. I look at Aiden's parents. Then at Aiden. Both options suck. Either way, I'll lose him. She wins. I close my eyes.

"Forgive me," I say before following where Jessica went.


	24. I Hate Myself for Loving You

**BlackCanary98: Yeah, poor Aiden. It's hard writing from Jessica's perspective, considering how horrible she is. I'm glad you liked Rose and Ace's reunion scene. Let's see what Jason chooses to do next.**

Rose's POV

"Jason, wait," I say, reaching out and grabbing his arm. "I'll go with you."

Jason looks heavily conflicted, looking between his nearly comatose fiance and Jessica's rapidly vanishing figure.

"F-fine. But don't try to stop me," he says, taking off with me close behind.

Jessica hears our footsteps and turns around.

"That was fast," she says with a smug smirk. "Have you made your decision, Jason?"

"Y-yes…" he says, clenching his shaking fists.

"Well?"

"I…I...I'll break off the engagement with him."

"What?" I gasp. Jason sends me a withering look. "Jason you can't be serious after everything you and Aiden have been through with each other-"

"I'll do it, just don't make him suffer anymore…" he mutters.

"Well, where is he?" Jessica demands.

"Not so fast," Jason snaps. "I'll break it off when he's made a full recovery and I won't leave his side until he does."

"Hmph, you drive a hard bargain. But if you go back on your word, he'll get a bullet in his head."

Jason sharply inhales. He nods in agreement.

"Deal."

"Excellent. The drug will be out of his system in half an hour."

Jason and I make it back to the others. Everyone watches with terse fear as Jason hoists Aiden on his back and walks back to Jessica. His face is grim with intense worry.

"Rose? Where's he taking Aiden?" Ace asks.

"Uh...he…"

"Don't tell me he actually agreed to this…" Ace groans.

"I'd rather have Aiden alive than dead," I say.

After an agonizing 45 minutes, Jason and Aiden return, with Aiden using Jason as a crutch. His eyes are half closed.

"Is he...ok?" I ask.

"It's out of his system, but he still needs time to recover…" Jay says.

"But what about-"

"Rose? Can I talk to you for a moment?" He interrupts suddenly. I nod and follow him into an empty room. When he closes the door, he turns on me.

"What's going on, Jason?"

"Under no circumstances are you to tell anyone about this," He hisses. "Not your friends, not your boyfriend, and especially not Aiden's parents."

"Jason...they're worried about their son. You owe it to them to tell them the truth."

"I owe it to them to get him out of here in one piece. I know what I'm doing."

"Jay…?" I hear Aiden moan softly. "What happened? Why does my head hurt so much?"

Jason turns around and sweeps Aiden in a tight hug.

"Thank goodness you're ok," Jay mumbles into his fiance's hair.

"Jason...did I do something while I was out?"

"Uh...nothing too crazy...except that you thought we were betrothed royalty," Jason says with a coy smirk. Aiden blushes a little. "Speaking of which…"

Jason doesn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Aiden kisses him full on the mouth.

"Oh my God...yes, Jason. I thought you already knew this. It's a little sudden, but I know the person I'll say, 'I do' to."

Jason's smile falters a little but thankfully Aiden doesn't notice.

"Tell him," I mouth. Jason glares at me.

"Not a word," he mouths back.

"Jason…" Aiden says softly. "I feel a little tired."

Must be the last of the drug leaving his system.

"You'll be fine, I promise," Jay tells him, placing him on the bed. Aiden smiles a little, then realization hits.

"Jay...how did I suddenly get better? Last I checked I had a splitting headache and couldn't tell if I was hallucinating or in reality. And I haven't seen a doctor in this place at all," he says. Jay looks up at me, panic in his eyes. I shrug.

"No more secrets, Jason."

"Babe," he starts. "I'm going to tell you something and you might not like it."

"Ok…" Aiden frowns but nods.

"I got Jessica to cure you...at a price."

"Which is?"

"...I...I have to break off the engagement…"

"What?!"

"It was either that or watch you slowly go insane and die."

"Jay...why?"

"I just didn't want you to suffer anymore…Babe, where are you going?"

"At this point I'd rather be dead."

"I swear its only temporary. I'll find another way to keep you away from her," Jay tries to console him, wrapping his arms around Aiden. "I can handle th-"

Aiden wrenches himself from Jay's arms.

"Can you?" He snaps, his entire body shaking with anger and sadness. "Every time you say you can handle things, stuff goes wrong. It's just one broken promise after another. Were you going to lie to me about this too?"

"Baby, I'd never hurt you intentionally. You know I lo-"

"No. Don't say things you don't mean. I thought you actually cared about me...about us."

"I do...it's just...I'd rather have you alive than dead."

"You do realize that once Jessica gets her hands on me I'll never see any of you again? Let me guess, you didn't think of the possible consequences. You let her win."

"Aiden, it's not like that!"

"You didn't even think about what this would do to my parents!"

"Yeah at least they'll know you're still alive!"

"Forget it. Jason, when I first found out we were engaged, I was surprised at first. Then I considered my other option. Did you see it as a rushed plot, or something more? Like you actually wanted to be committed to me? It's silly anyway. We've been dating for what, a month after being separated for 5 years. Did I honestly expect that after two failed relationships the next person I happened to fall for would sweep me off my feet and marry me in 2 years? But it's not your fault, Jason. I should've known the kind of person you are...just like Jessi-"

Aiden quickly covers his mouth but the damage is done. Jason's jaw drops, a million emotions running across his face.

"If that's really the way you feel, Aiden, then go. Sorry I tried to save your life. I may not make the smartest decisions, but I felt that somehow, it'll all be ok. But being that you see me as the same person who made your life a living hell, maybe it wasn't meant to be. So just go."

Aiden blinks back tears and storms out quickly. He looks at me briefly, then shakes his head. I hear Jason sniffling behind me.

"Jason, I'm so sorry!" I say, patting his back. "I'm sure he'll come around."

"No he won't," Jason groans. "Not this time. I didn't realize what this meant to him. He's always been the guy that keeps to himself. But when you get intimate with him...I see a whole other side to him. One that cares more about things other than his music. It hurt a lot when I couldn't see him. It hurt pre-transition when my dysphoria got so bad I'd cut myself until I nearly died. It hurt while I was still transitioning because before Lakeside, I couldn't find a single friendly face like him anywhere. It hurt every time people would call me selfish for 'wanting to be a guy's after I cut my hair and started wearing my brother's clothes. Its selfish, but I just couldn't lose Aiden again, not with the way he makes me feel. This month we've spent together made me feel whole again. I thought I was doing the right thing so I could rescue him later. He must hate me now."

"I think he's just as upset as you are. He finally started to get close to someone and now this was dumped on him."

"You told me to do it," he accuses.

"I know, but it would've hurt him more if you'd waited until he found out himself. Look, let's just give him time to process."

Jessica's POV

I find Aiden wandering the halls, a despondent look on his face. It almost makes me feel bad about lying to Jason about the drug potentially killing Aiden. Almost. He scowls when he sees me.

"Why the long face, sweetie? I thought you'd be happy to be well again."

"After you tricked Jason into breaking off the engagement just so you can have me," he snaps. "I took out all my anger on him instead of you. Are you happy now?"

I take my hand in his and smile at him.

"Come on, Aiden, you know you're better off without him," I say, stroking his cheek.

"D-don't touch me!" He recoils back. I reach out and grip his wrist. Some old bruises are still there.

"We're going to be seeing a lot of each other, whether you like it or not. My patience with your rebelliousness is wearing thin. If I have to break your will again to get you to be obedient then so be it."

Aiden opens his mouth to retort but stops suddenly. That's when I hear it. _Sirens._ And they're coming closer. My hold on Aiden tightens.

"Who called them?" I hiss.

"I don't know...you're hurting my wrists, Jessica," he groans.

"Good...maybe this time you'll learn your lesson," I snarl, pressing my arm to his throat.

"Jason, help me!" he struggles to cry out. Well, he's left me no choice. In one motion I close one hand around his neck. He sees this and visibly panics, remembering the last time this happened. This only makes me hold on tighter. I can see him starting to lose a final warning, I'll be the last thing he thinks of. Without warning, I kiss him into oblivion. I hear the others approach. Jason takes one look at us and bolts in the other direction. Huh, I thought he'd put up a fight.

"I'll go after Jason," Rose says.

"But you're going down," Ava says. "The police have surrounded the building."


	25. Ride or Die

Aiden's POV

Just before I lose consciousness, Jessica releases her tight grip on my neck. I hit the ground gasping for air.

"Aiden!" My mother gasps, reaching for me. Jessica stands in front of me, blocking my mother's path. I get up and barely evade her fists to get to the others. My mother hugs me tightly. "We're getting out of here, precious."

"Your reign of terror is over." Ace says. Rose and Jason come back. Jason doesn't look me in the eyes.

"The police are coming inside the building," Rose tells us. "We need to move, now."

She grabs my arm and we take off. I turn back and see Jessica glaring at us, namely me. I painful knot from in the pit of my stomach. She runs in the other direction. Unless there's some secret passage that we don't know about, I doubt she'll escape.

"Focus, Aiden," Rose orders. "We're almost there."

Thankfully, no guards are waiting for us at the entrance. The police are all over the place. Guests are running and screaming. One of the police officers approaches us. Rose turns and gasps.

"Daddy!" she yells, running straight to the chief of police. When he turns I see his badge Officer Brinkwater.

"Rosebud," he cries sweeping her up in his arms. Rose was pretty small compared to her father. "Are you hurt?"

"No, thank goodness Ace and Wes found us in time."

"I'll have my boys do a clean sweep of the place and meet you back home, ok?" He asks, ruffling her hair. She kisses his cheek.

"Ok, Dad," she smiles softly as we exit.

We pile into two cars, Rose, Wes, Ace, Ava, and Uma into Ace's car and me, my parents and Jason into ours. My mom tries to get me to lower my shirt collar so she can see my neck injuries. I shake my head and pull away.

"Aiden, just let me see if I need to take you to a hospital," she pleads. I just wasn't ready for anyone to see my bruises so soon. To tell the truth, this wasn't the first time I'd been attacked so brutally. I wouldn't even let Jay take me to the hospital the first time he saw my bruises.

"Mom, please. I can't right now. Just let us go home," I say, shrugging her off and pulling up my collar.

She shakes her head but we go home anyway. I rush straight to my room. Jay doesn't follow me, opting to sleep on the couch. That stings, but I deserve it. It feels good to be back in my own bed...even if Jason isn't here with me.

"Going to sleep already, precious?" My mom.asks, popping her head into my door. "It's barely three."

"I'm kinda tired, mom. I just want to curl up on my bed and forget this day ever happened."

"You feel a little warm, so I suggest you get some rest anyway," she says as she leaves. I try not to think of Jason too much as I fall asleep. At some points I remember waking up and staring into space for who knows how long before I drift of again.

I must have been out for hours because my mother's gently shaking me awake.

"Mmh?" I moan, trying to snatch a few more minutes of sleep.

"My God, Aiden, you've slept for 13 hours! I thought you were dead. Come on, they're resuming the trial today."

"But we just got back home," I complain.

"I know, but the sooner this trial ends the sooner we can go back to our normal lives. Now come on, the others will be coming in an hour." She leaves my suit on the bed in front of me.

I slip out of my clothes and freeze when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I always rushed getting dressed so I'd never have to look at myself. My entire body is covered with scars and bruises. Some from hitting, others from cutting myself when Jessica pushed me. Purple decorates my wrists where she'd tightly squeeze if she felt I was being disrespectful or I talked about Rose. Of course, there's the ring around my neck when she tried to choke the life out of me. I shudder just thinking about it. I trace the mark around my neck.

"Hey...your mom told me to bring you brea-" I whirl around. Jason's standing in front if men with a tray in his hands. He trails off when he notices my body.

Face flushing, I throw a blanket over myself and push him out.

"Christ, Jason. Haven't you heard of knocking?" I yell at him, slamming the door.

"Aiden...what were those bruises all over your body?"

"N-nothing important," I say. "Just leave my breakfast at the door."

Jay sighs.

"We need to talk. About yesterday. Can I come in?"

I hastily put on an undershirt and shorts, then open the door. Jay's standing there awkwardly blushing. He's looking at everything BUT me.

"Well?"

"Well, what?" he says.

"Talk."

"You first."

"..." I say nothing, rubbing my arms self-consciously.

"It's even worse than you told me, isn't it?"

"Aiden?"

"I thought I could handle it...that somehow her use of violence was her way of showing love...but I couldn't...I don't know where I'd be right now if Rose hadn't intervened when she did."

"Do your parents know about this?" he asks.

"N-no…"

"Does anyone know?"

"She'd kill me if it got out. You saw how she reacted when someone called the police on her."

"Aiden, I'm probably the last person you can trust right now, but if we're going to put her away for a long time, the jury needs to see this."

"And what? They laugh at me for being too scared to fight back?"

"We'll make them believe you. I do."

"That's because you're my...oh," I say sadly.

"I know, I messed up badly. If it makes you feel better, I never actually broke it off. I was going to try and buy some time so we could get you out of there sooner. I didn't want to tell you, but I didn't want to lose whatever faith you had left in me."

"Jay, I was terrified," I say, my voice cracking as he takes me into his arms. "Terrified that after all we'd been through, we wouldn't get to be together. That I'd have to go back to her."

"Oh, Aiden…"

Then the floodgates open. I tell him everything. About when it started, how bad was it, the fact that I still have nightmares. At this point, I've completely broken down, sobbing into his chest and holding on to Jay as tightly as I can.

"Aiden, I...I'll do my best to make sure she'll never hurt you again."

"I want to believe you...but how can I?"

Jay squeezes my hands.

"Because I said I'd be ride or die with you, and I meant it. Whatever happens, I'm not gonna leave your side. Not until every bruise and cut is gone."

He kisses my neck, making sure to get every bruise. His hands find my waist as he hugs me from behind.

"You know those aren't the only places I'm hurt," I say shyly. Jay faintly smiles and pulls me into his lap.

"Ok, where?"

"Well...I think my lips might be a bit bruised…"

Jason smirks and presses his lips to mine eagerly.

"I love doing that," he whispers. Someone knocks on the door.

"That doesn't sound like getting ready to me," my mom says. "You two have 30 minutes left."

I bounce off of Jason's lap, grateful that she hadn't actually walked in on us. Jason lets me get changed so we can leave. He reaches out and hold my hand as we head outside.

"How are you feeling?" He asks me.

"Awful. Petrified. Nauseous. Take your pick."

"I'd say brave," he says soothingly, rubbing my back. The limo pulls up in front of my house. My mother pecks me on the cheek.

"We'll meet you there, ok, Precious?" She says. I nod, and she gives me a tight hug.

When we get inside, Rose and the others are clustered around their phones in tense silence.

"Guys?" Jay asks. "What's going on?"

Rose puts her phone in front of us, her shaking hand making it hard to see. Our eyes widen as we read the headline.

"Fuck no. No she did not," Jay curses.

"She can't be serious…" I mumble to myself, feeling my knees getting weak again.

There's several pictures on the screen. One of Ace's office being trashed, Wes's car vandalized, Rose's brother shot in a drive by, homophobic slurs painted on Uma's house, a leaked photo of Jay without his binder...and my uncle's music shop... _on fire._


	26. Replaced?

**BlackCanary98: Yeah, Jessica would never willingly let them leave without some retaliation. At least Aiden will get some help in the healing process.**

Rose's POV

I blink repeatedly, hoping I wasn't seeing the headline.

 _Movie star Roscoe Brinkwater in critical condition after drive by shooting attack on his fiance and new daughter._

Its real.

My brother was shot. Ace notices my expression, and holds my hands in his.

"Rosie...are you ok?" he asks, concern in his eyes. I gulp hard and nod. I needed to be strong for my friends.

"Yes," I say firmly. "I'm fine. I have to trust that Roscoe's gonna be ok. But thanks for asking."

Ace doesn't look convinced, but he lets it go. I survey the others. Ava looks like she wants to punch something as Uma trembles nervously next to her. Jason looks like he's seen a ghost.

"Is the picture that bad, Jay?" Ace asks.

"It's not a picture. It's a whole video. We were being taped while we...got intimate," he says, his skin deathly pale. "It got posted _everywhere._ "

He shows us the clip. From what I see, the camera must have been hidden from the ceiling.

" _If this feels uncomfortable at any point, tell me and I'll stop right away._ " he says in the video. The only thing he gets in response is a sigh. The scene gets more and more NC-17. I have to look away.

"Did you guys...you know?" Wes asks awkwardly

"Almost, but no. We just ended up heavily making out with each other. I guess to everyone else that's what it looks like. Gosh this is embarrassing. I hope it doesn't hurt what's left of our case."

"I doubt it'll be admissible in court," Ethan says. This is the first time he's spoken this morning. I know he's worried about Roscoe. "Did you get the pictures?"

Jason nods, and sends the pictures they took. Ethan winces when he sees them.

"If this doesn't convince the jury that she's guilty, nothing will," Ethan mumbles as we pull up in front of the courtroom. Not surprisingly, a whole crowd of students and reporters are waiting for us.

"Don't look at them, look straight ahead," Ace tells me. He told me all about how our classmates responded when we went missing after we got home. My heart breaks knowing how little they actually care. Ace grips my hand as we walk out, I try not to look at my two faced classmates. Traitors, all of them...even the ones I thought were my friends...

Ace's POV

"Shushu, it's me Aiden. Please call back if...when you get this message," I hear Aiden say softly on the phone. His hands are shaking. I can only imagine how he's feeling after being told his second home was set on fire. I fall back to talk to him.

"Hey, you doing alright?"

Aiden looks up at me briefly before looking away.

"I could be better."

"Want to talk about it?"

"...I guess."

We break away from the others and head into a more secluded area. Aiden nervously fidgets with his hands. Neither of us say anything for a while.

"Ace, do you think I might have PTSD?"

"...You still think about her, don't you?"

"I can't help it. It's like she's everywhere in my life, and I fear that my relationship with Jason is suffering as a result."

"You're worried he's gonna give up on you?"

"Worse. I think he already has. I told him I needed some space after the video got leaked. He thinks he's to blame somehow."

"He really cares about you, Aiden."

"Or maybe he just feels bad for me. Look, I'm a complete wreck now and can't even go one day without snapping at someone or having a meltdown. After the trial, it's only a matter of time until he comes to his senses."

I sigh.

"I used to think that way. Sometimes, I still do."

"What? You? I mean, I know about the, uh…"

"Yeah. My PTSD still bothers me. But that's why I have friends who support me and a loving girlfriend who's always by my side. I probably wouldn't even be standing here if I kept pushing them away."

Aiden scoffs.

"You make it sound too easy. Don't your parents pay for therapy or something?"

"See...um...I never actually went to therapy," I sheepishly admit. "I only told Rose and Wes that so they'd stop…worrying about me."

His eyes widen.

"But you seem so…"

"Focused? Calm? In control?"

"Yeah, actually."

"Well, looks can be rather deceiving."

"I'm not saying I agree with what you did in the past, but...I kinda get it. You wanted to feel like you're worth something, even though you almost lost everything in the end. Me...I was just stupid."

"What happened?"

"I convinced myself that staying with Jessica for so long was worth it because...well, she promised that I'd get into Juilliard when I graduate. I know, that sounded ridiculous, but she really has the connections to make it happen. Then her temper just got worse and worse I felt myself breaking under the pressure...and well...I still haven't gotten over it."

"Aiden, I don't mean to pry, but...are you hurting yourself?"

Aiden looks up, eyes wide with terror and betrayal.

"Jay TOLD you?"

"No, he didn't. It was a hunch. And please, whatever pain she's causing you, it's not worth it."

"I...I haven't done it in a while...but something about the way her touching me makes me feel that makes me want to cut off my own skin and grow a new one."

"Well, I've heard that squeezing an ice cube usually helps with the urge to self-harm. Is anything else bothering you?"

"What if the judge and jury don't believe me?" he says. "What if they find out about her promise and think I'm lying about everything? What if they think I was asking for everything to happen to me?"

"Why would they think that?"

"Because I stayed with her for a year, because I let her bribe me into silence, because I'm a freaking guy?!"

"Look, the odds are against you, I get that. But come on, they'd have to be crazy not to convict her after they see this new evidence. And hey, if it makes you feel any better...I'll go to therapy with you."

I reach out and squeeze his shoulder. He smiles faintly.

"R-really?" he says with a blush.

"Hey, it's the least I can do for a friend. Now let's go get a snack before the trial starts."

The others look surprised then relieved when we arrived. Jason's glaring at me.

"Where were you two?" he asks.

" _Talking_ ," Aiden replies with a tone that suggest the end of the discussion.

"You do realize in the time that you guys disappeared we were worried that something happened to you?" Jay retorts.

"We were gone for 15 minutes. What's the worst that could've happened?" I scoff. "Aiden's fine, he doesn't need an overprotective bodyguard to watch his every move."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. It's just that maybe there's a reason he wanted some space from you."

"Why, so the two of you could sneak off and _talk_?"

"Jason…" Rose hisses. "That's uncalled for."

" _Jealous, much_?" I cough. "There's nothing going on between us, and it's pretty sad how you can't even trust someone who trusts you so much."

Ethan whistles loudly, silencing all of us.

"This is not the time or the place for this," he snaps. "The most important thing we need right now is to stay united until the trial is over. Whatever teenage drama you have can wait. Now let's head inside."

We reluctantly shuffle into the courtroom. I zone out again during the normal proceedings. Mr. Price, the defense lawyer stands up.

"Defense calls Rosemary Brinkwater to the stand."


	27. Enough

**BlackCanary98: Haha, I loved that sipping tea comment. Yeah, Jason can be a littlenover protective of Aiden. And it's good to have someone with similar experiences reach out to Aiden for a change.**

Aiden's POV

Rose steps up to the stand. Ace gives her a kiss on the cheek on her way. If that doesn't prove that there's nothing between me and him, I don't know what will. It's unlike Jay to act like this. He's sitting on the opposite side of the desk, looking up at the ceiling with anger etched into his beautiful features.

"Ms.Brinkwater, we've heard a lot of alleged accounts of this so called abuse. If Mr. Zhou was being abused, why didn't he tell his parents or contacted the police instead of confiding in an estranged ex?"

"Objection," Ethan interrupts. "Speculation. Ms. Brinkwater cannot testify as to who Mr. Zhou chose to confide in or why."

"Sustained."

"Moving on. The night Mr. Zhou broke up with my client, what happened there?"

"He caught her kissing another guy and broke up with her."

"How did she end up kissing another guy?"

"I...uh...I kinda set him up with her."

The courtroom explodes with murmurs. I feel my insides twisting painfully inside. This was going downhill fast. The judge bangs on the gavel loudly.

Mr. Price looks all too happy at this admission.

"Well then perhaps as a result of your deception, Mr. Zhou was encouraged to leave what he deemed a toxic relationship. Did you tell him the truth?"

"Yes. He deserved to know what really happened between us," Rose answers. She points to Jessica. "She happened."

"And you wholeheartedly believed whatever he told you."

"I saw the signs. You'd have to be an idiot not to notice them."

"How come you saw them though? Why not friends or teachers or even his parents?"

"He asked to talk to me. It kinda slipped out."

"How do you know Mr. Zhou wasn't lying to you and trying to get attention?"

"He'd never lie about something like this. I know him. And I definitely know her."

She glares in Jessica's direction. I guess she couldn't evade the cops forever. Jessica ignores her and instead turns to me. She gives me a smirk that sends shivers through my body. I feel myself begin to freeze in place.

"Psst. Don't look at her if it makes you nervous," Ace whispers. I gulp and nod slightly, grateful for the intervention. I steady my breaths and try to focus on the trial. Mr. Price, probably frustrated at being unable to get anything else out of Rose, leaves the stand and Ethan takes his place. I keep my head down during most of the questioning. I barely notice the different witnesses coming in and out…

Wes…

"Mr. Burnett, did Ms. Brinkwater at any point ask you to gather evidence about the alleged abuse?"

"At that point, I was focused on the history between Ms. Brinkwater and Ms. Nguyen. I detected something off about Mr. Zhou's behavior when talking about Ms. Nguyen."

Uma…

"Yes, she's my cousin. But no, I'm not like her. I saw her true colors recently. But I can't believe she'd been behind all this. I can't say I'm surprised, though."

Jason…

"He fainted once when I mentioned having to eventually confront Ms. Nguyen. Then I saw the bruises around his neck…"

All I'm waiting for is one moment...when I'm called to testify. The judge calls for a temporary recess.

"We'll continue in the morning with the star witnesses," he says looking at me and then at Jessica. "Price. Blake. In my chambers now."

Ethan looks confused, but follows him into the judge's chambers. Jason heads in the opposite direction.

"Where are you going?" I ask. He turns around, frowning.

"Why do you care?" His tone isn't mad or snappy. It sounds...heartbroken.

"Jay, don't be like that," I say sadly. Jay shakes his head.

"Don't wait up for me," he says, walking out.

"Jay, wait!"

But he's already out the door. My chest tightens.

"No, please...I need you."

"Just let him go, Aiden. Sooner or later he'll come around," Rose says.

"I don't get it," I say. "What happened? Did I do something to make him mad?"

"I don't think so. There must be something that's bugging him. I'll follow him. Ace, can you stay with Aiden and make sure he gets home?"

"Well, how do you feel about that, Aiden?" he asks.

"Yeah...I guess."

"Great. I'll stop by my office to get something and we'll be home in time for dinner."

Jason's POV

I'm running as fast as my two feet can take me. I want to get far away from here. Away from this stupid trial. Away from Jessica. Away from Aiden.

I remember the image someone sent me just before the trial. It was a picture of them. Ace's hand was somewhere between Aiden's cheek or neck. It could have been photoshopped, but I didn't have any proof. Besides, I got the photo right after Aiden told me he needed some space. I blamed myself for pushing him away, then I ended up jumping to conclusions before I had all the facts. Aiden probably hates me by now.

"Jason!" I hear Rose call out from behind me. "Jason, wait up!"

I turn around.

"What?"

"Come on, you know it's not safe for you to be out here by yourself."

"Just leave me alone, Rose." I turn to leave, but she grabs my arm hard.

"Are you seriously thinking about abandoning your fiance at a time like this?" she hisses.

"He doesn't care."

"Yes he does, Jay. He needs you to be there for him."

"Why me when he has Ace now?"

"Seriously? What's gotten into you?"

"This," I say, showing her the photo.

"Jay, I known what it looks like but I trust Ace would never try to take advantage of Aiden. He's always telling me how he sees him as a little brother he never had."

"I guess I hadn't thought that through," I admit sheepishly.

"Jay...are you worried he'll fall for someone else?"

I sigh.

"Yes...I've always felt like I was never good enough for him. There's always someone better who can give him everything he deserves. Me? I'm just a trans dude with anger issues who happens to be living under his roof. I can't do half the things Ace or Jessica are capable of doing. I'm worried that he'll see that one day and leave, so I feel like I have to overcompensate to keep him."

"Have you considered that maybe what your fiance needs is someone he can lean on when he needs support and not someone who acts as a crutch when he doesn't?"

"I just want him to be safe and feel cherished."

"Tell him that. Don't make him talk. Just listen and he'll speak when he's ready. Here, call him and see if he picks up," Rose says, handing me her phone.

It rings…

It rings…

It rings…

"Hello?" goes his soft voice. I almost forget why I called him.

"Buh...Baby?"

"Jay… Where are you?"

"I'm outside the courthouse. Rose found me."

"...are you still mad at me?"

"What? No, babe, I was frustrated. I thought you were going to hook up with Ace and leave me."

"Jason...I would never! Besides, he has a girlfriend."

"Yeah, I know. It's just...I thought you didn't need me anymore...that you'd find someone better."

"I thought you didn't want me anymore after that video of us was leaked...after you saw my scars."

"Look, I'm so sorry for constantly pushing you when it made you uncomfortable."

"And I'm sorry if I ever made you feel less than at any point. If anything, you've made my life better since we met again."

"...you really mean that?"

"Yeah. I do. Ace and I are just around the corner. You want to meet us there?"

"Sure...I see you two up ahead."

Aiden slowly approaches us. I extend my hand and he shyly takes it.

"Hey…" he says. I run my thumb over his knuckles and smile at him. I get a small smile in return.

"Let's start over," I tell him. He nods. "Hey cutie. I'm Jason Parker and you must be the most precious things in the world."

I tuck a strand of hair behind his ear and wink at him. He laughs.

"I've just met you and I've already been swept off my feet," he gasps, starting to blush a little.

"We'll leave the two of you alone," Rose says. "Ace and I have some...personal business to attend to."

Ace grins at her as she pulls him away, out of view. Aiden looks up at me.

"I guess we still have a few things we need to work on," he says quietly.

"I know. But I'll be here to listen when you're ready."

He gently squeezes my hand

"If you don't mind, I'd rather just stay like this for now.Let's take a walk."

And so we do. Aiden is silent the whole time, his obsidian eyes occasionally looking at me. Every time he does this I give him a little peck on the nose and make him turn red. I'm starting to think he does this on purpose.

At some point, he turns and hugs me.

"Jay...I'm so worried about tomorrow."

"If Jessica can retaliate so quickly, who's to say she won't try to harm you or me to keep me from testifying? My uncle's fine but the music shop I grew up in...it's gone. All gone. She could've...she could've…"

"At least she didn't and your uncle is ok. That's all that matters," I console him, rubbing his back. "I guess Ace has been helping you sort this whole mess out?"

"Yeah, he's helped me deal with my anxiety...among other things."

"Well, you know how I usually get rid of my.anxiety?"

"Don't say it-"

"Dancing!" I trill annoyingly. Aiden rolls his eyes and smirk.

"How many times must I tell you I can't dance?"

"If you look silly doing it then you'll feel less nervous. Dance like no one's watching. The world is your stage!"

"We're in public, Jason."

"Ok, babe. You don't have to if you don't want to. Let's go hit up a nearby restaurant."

We start to walk off when he stops suddenly.

"Wait...I want to, you know...try dancing. With you."

"Really? Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. Now, what are we waiting for?"

He takes my hand and leads me into the town square.

"Now, just relax, and let me do the rest."

"What about the music?" He asks.

"I got it," I say as I start to hum. He places the other hand not holding mine on my shoulder. I put mine on his waist. "Hold on, baby."

We start to spin around, slowly at first, but progressively get faster. Aiden laughs, his face a soft red.

"Ahh...I'm getting dizzy, Jason," he says as I twirl him around. I stop and pull him close. He's beaming, and for a moment I remember why I fell for him. I briefly let go of his hand. He stumbles, but before he falls and hits the ground I catch him in a low dip.

"I could kiss you right now," I say.

"What's stopping you?" He says, wrapping his arms around my neck and passionately kissing me. We hear a few scattered claps. Aiden pulls away, embarrassed. He smiles at me.

"Feel better?" I ask with a smile.

"Much better. Thanks...I really needed that."

"Just think of us when you go testify tomorrow and you'll be fine."

"I know. Jason...you're really special to me. I don't ever want you to forget that."

"You know what's nice about being split up for a while?"

"What?"

"I get the time to appreciate how lucky I am to have such a cinnamon roll for my fiance."

I pinch his cheek. He snorts.

"Be serious, you're getting even cheesier, Jason."

I hug him from behind and lift him up.

"Trust me, I have a whole list of dumb pet names for you. Sweetie, Pumpkin pie, Bae-thoven, Cupcake…"

I continue listing cliched nicknames as I carry him bridal style and pepper fervent kisses on his face and neck. I stop short of his collarbone when I hear a low grumbling. Aiden flushes and puts his hands over his stomach.

"That restaurant sounds like a great idea right now," he admits sheepishly.

"Fine by me, Aiden. I mean Bae-thoven."

"Don't call me that...Prince Charming."

We laugh as we head into the restaurant. To our surprise the others are waiting for us there.

"Great, you're here," Rose says. I notice her hair is a bit messy and Ace's tie is not on straight. I smirk, having a pretty good guess what they did when they left.

"Ethan wants us to work on your testimony over dinner," Ace explains. "So we can make sure there's no way the defense attorney can poke holes in your story."

"I understand," Aiden replies, looking at me.

"Guys...where's Uma?" Ava asks, looking around frantically.

Everyone turns to look at her.

"I'm sure she's somewhere," Rose says.

"She was right behind me and now she's gone!"

(Sneak Peek)

Uma's POV

"It's a shame, really. You used to be one of us, Uma," Jessica taunts me outside the parking lot.

"Well I'm done. In not going to let you hurt my friends or their relationships anymore," I snap. "And FYI, I was the one who called the police on your evil ass."

"That was your first mistake. Your second was trying to steal my laptop so you could gather evidence. But no matter. You're going to make sure I'm a acquitted."

"Or what?"

"Well, I won't be held responsible if something happened to...say, Ava."

"Ava can handle whatever you try on her," I retort, trying not to let my breath catch in my throat.

"If you say so. But if you change your mind...I have a few documents that need shredding."

"...G-go to hell. I can't believe you're my cousin of all people."

"I can't believe you're still a lesbian. I thought being around all those suitors for years would've cured you."

"Shut up!" I tell, swinging at her. She catches my arm, slaps me and forcibly throws me onto the pavement, making my head crash on the gravel. I wince audibly. She gives me a few sharp kicks for good measure.

"That wasn't very wise, Uma. Cross me like that again and...well, I think you've seen what I can do."

She strolls off, leaving me bruised and bleeding on the ground.

"A-avie...Avie, help...me," I cry out weakly before darkness takes over and I succumb to unconsciousness.


	28. Light at the End of a Tunnel

**For once, I'm gonna let the characters have a light-hearted, fluffy moment instead of the constant angst. Hey, they deserve a break every once in a while.**

Ava's POV

I head to the courthouse alone. I swear to God, if Jessica's done something to Uma, I'll kill her. I stop short of the doors when I hear a soft moaning coming from the parking lot.

"Avie…"

I rush towards the sound and find Uma lying on the ground semiconscious.

"Uma!" I gasp, picking her up quickly. "Uma...what happened?"

"I just tripped and fell, nothing to worry about."

"Then why are you on the ground bleeding?" I ask.

"I fell pretty hard. I'm sorry I worried you. Let's go back to the others. You can put me down now."

I place her on her feet and she kisses me on the cheek. Something about Uma's story about her falling isn't adding up. If she fell, why didn't she get up afterwards? And why was she away from the group in the first place? And I swear I see a handprint on Uma's face. My fists clenched in anger. Jessica hurt her, and I'm gonna kick her ass the moment I see her again.

The others sigh in relief when I arrive with Uma in tow.

"Uma, your face!" Rose gasps. "It's swollen."

"I fell," she says quickly. "Let's have dinner."

Thankfully, the restaurant had a buffet, so we could eat to our hearts content. Minutes later, we settle down to eat our food. Everyone around us is talking and cracking jokes to ease the tension.

"So, any future plans for the married couple?" Wes asks.

"Guys, I think it's a little too soon to start calling us married -for now," Jay laughs, brushing a kiss on Aiden's cheek. "But the glee club and the band are planning to team up and go to competitions together come senior year."

"Sounds cool, but won't it make it hard for you and Aiden to see each other since you go to different schools? Berry High must be reopening soon," Ace aks.

"I know...that's why I'm thinking of transferring to Lakeside High in the fall," Aiden says quietly leaning on Jason's shoulder. "I'll miss my friends, but I want to be with Jay."

"Aww…" Rose coos. "Of course you can transfer here."

"Hey, Ava, maybe I shoud think of transferring too," Uma whispers with a giggle. "I bet I could show those actors at your school what's up."

"Maybe," I whisper back, smiling.

"I'm gonna start applying early decision to some Ivy Leagues. Hello, Harvard." Ace announces.

"I thought you wanted to go to Yale?" Rose says.

"Later, but now, law school is calling my name. It's amazing how someone can double as a lawyer and an agent like Ethan can," Ace gushes.

"Oh boy, we've got a fanboy in our midst," Rose teases as Ace ruffles her hair. "I'm thinking of going to Princeton, or maybe UPenn. How about you guys?"

Wes: "Community College. Or maybe I'll be lucky and get into MIT."

Me: "Uh...maybe Georgetown."

Uma: "Dartmouth."

Jason: "Same."

Aiden: "With your moves, Jason, you could get into Juilliard."

"So could you, with your talent in music," Jason says. "They'd be crazy not to admit you."

Aiden blushes.

"Y-you really think so?"

"Um, they didn't call you the Music Man back at Berry for nothing," Rose says. "Your parents loved to gush to me about what a prodigy you are when I came over."

" _Were_. I'm pretty sure prodigies have to be children."

"Babe, come on. Everyone knows how awesome you are. You don't need luck or advantages for people to see that," Jason tells him. Aiden frowns.

"Yeah, wish I'd known that earlier. But, it's in the past now. Now we can focus on the future. _Our_ future."

We cheer in response, clinking our glasses together. Uma gets up suddenly.

"Well, this has been great and all, but I've gotta get home," she says, turning to leave.

"Uma, wait. Do you mind if I come with you? I don't think it's safe in your home with Jessica and your mother around," I offer, reaching out for her arm. She smiles gratefully and takes my hand.

"I...I'd like that. Thanks, Ava."

We say goodbye to the others and head off. When we reach her house, I turn to her.

"Uma, is something wrong?"

"W-what? No, Avie, it's nothing. I just fell. No need to worry about me."

"If you say so," I say. "Let's get inside. Hopefully your relatives won't be in when we arrive."

Thankfully, they aren't. Uma and I manage to make it to her room. Uma sighs and flops on her bed. She pats the space next to her, beckoning me to follow. I lie on the bed next to her. She laughs.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"You're going to sleep in your outdoor clothes?"

"Well, I...uh...didn't bring my pyjamas with me...so...uh…" I stammer, turning a deep shade of red.

"Well, let me help you with that," she says, slipping me out of my suit. "Much better."

"I have a feeling you've always wanted to do that," I tease as she does the same with her own clothes. Wow...blue is a really great color on her. She starts kissing me all over, leaving blue lipstick stains everywhere. I run my hands through her long blue hair as she does this. She's so soft, and I'm loving every minute of this. All too soon, it's over. Uma rests her head under my chin with a small yawn. The fluffy curls of her hair tickle my face. My arms encircle the smooth curves of her hips.

"We should do this more often," she says, sleepily stroking my cheek. "Maybe we'll go all the way next time."

Her fingers trace the edge of my waistband, tugging it ever so slightly. I smirk and turn so that we're spooning.

"But for now, we need sleep, Uma. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Avie...I love you."

"...I...I love you...too."

The next morning, I try to move so I can kiss my girlfriend awake. I groggily feel around for her body...but she's not there. I move one arm and feel myself restrained! I crane my neck and see that it's been ziptied. There's a note just within reach.

 _Avie_

 _I'm SO, SO, sorry to do this to you...but it's for your own safety. I can't have Aiden win the trial if it means putting you in harm's way. I left some breakfast for you. Please, don't try to stop me. It'll only get worse of you do._

 _Uma._

I notice my clothes are gone too. Did she really get frisky with me to steal my stuff?! But Uma wouldn't suddenly turn on us just for my sake...would she?

Well, I've got to make sure whatever Uma's going to do doesn't end up preventing Jessica from going to jail. I tug at the ziptie on my hand. Damn, this is going to be hard to get out of...


	29. No More Silence

**BlackCanary98: Jason's secretly insecure and thinks he's not good enough of a boyfriend to Aiden. He can't stand the idea of losing Aiden to someone he thinks is better. And well, Uma just wants to be the one to protect her girlfriend for once instead of the other way around all the time.**

Uma's POV

"Umaaaaaa!" I hear Ava shout from upstairs. Gosh, she must be awake. "Uma, whatever you're doing, this isn't the way!"

I hear her struggle out of her ziptied trap. With any luck she'll be too late before she gets out. I hold the stack of papers in my hands in front of the shredder. Jessica must have stolen them from Ace's office. It's a lot of bad stuff in here: Stalker-like photos, emails to my mom, texts to Aiden, notes between friends in class. No wonder she wanted me to destroy everything.

"I'm so sorry, guys," I murmur as I push everything into the shredder. "But I can't let Jessica take away the love of my life."

I feel absolutely guilty for tricking Ava like that, but I knew she'd try to stop me if she knew what I was up to.

"UMA!"

The struggle gets louder. I pack up everything and run for it. Someone calls my cell.

"Hello?"

"Uma? It's Rose. Ava isn't picking up her phone. Is everything alright?"

"Uh, yep. Ava's feeling a little under the weather today, so she can't make it. No need to bring the limo here. I can just walk."

"You sound out of breath, Uma. What's going on?" Rose demands.

"Nothing, Rose! I'll be there soon," I say hastily and hang up. I pick up the pace. My legs burn with the adrenaline. A car pulls up next to me and honks. I whip around and scowl.

"Come now, don't be like that, little cousin. At least Ava will be out of harm's way. I hope it was worth it," Jessica taunts.

"Look, I don't care if we lose or not. Just stop hurting people, alright? You won."

"I only promised I wouldn't hurt Ava, not the others. And trust me, they'll feel my wrath soon."

"Jessie, you can't! They'll hate me forever!" I plead.

"Who's to say they don't already hate you? I mean, you had to seduce Ava to trap her and you went behind your friends' backs just so you wouldn't be lonely. And soon they'll know you'll be the reason why they end up in deep trouble."

"Why are you doing this? You've caused people years worth of trauma, and for what? To make sure your pitiful ass doesn't end up without a damn suitor and you can live the rest of your days in the lap of luxury?"

"Well, yeah. Look, I have one more thing for you to do, and then I _might_ think about letting your friends leave relatively unscathed."

"What now?" I ask in exasperation.

"Just make sure Aiden can't say much during his testimony."

"I-I can't! That would be tampering with the witness."

"I mean, you'd already be in trouble for obstructing justice, so…"

"I know...I just...I didn't want what happened to Aiden to happen to Ava. How broken do you have to be to constantly question your sanity and self-worth?"

"It's too bad you don't believe Ava's strong enough to handle herself."

"I know you tried to manipulate her. And I've seen what you're capable of. I don't want you anywhere near my girlfriend."

"Whatever, Uma. Maybe one day you'll see that this was meant to be and you'll come crawling back to us."

"I'll never be like the rest of the family! NEV-"

The car squeals away, leaving me coughing in a cloud of dust and smoke. God I better find a way to make sure no one gets hurt because of me.

Everyone looks at me suspiciously when I approach.

"Uma, where's Ava?" Rose asks.

"I already told you, she's sick," I stress.

"Well, it's not like Ava to suddenly get sick without any warning. She was fine yesterday," Rose presses, her brown eyes boring holes into my gray ones.

"She seemed fine, but she really wasn't. Look, let's just go inside and get this trial over with," I gasp in exasperation. The others shrug and move on, but Rose keeps her glare fixed on me.

In a quiet but scary voice, she hisses, "Ava's like a sister to me, so if I find out that you did something to her I'll-"

"You'll what? Make more empty threats? I'm not scared of you, Rose."

"You really sound like you have something to hide, Uma. I'm going to find out what."

"You do that," I say dismissively before I remember Jessica's instructions. I look past Rose and see Aiden up ahead, his hand linked with Jason's. It's going to be hard to get him alone for long.I brush past Rose and approach them.

"Hey, Uma," Jason says. "What's up?"

"Would you mind if I borrowed Aiden for a few minutes? I've got a little advice for him."

They look at each other, then back at me. Jason shrugs.

"I, uh...I'll stand over here from a safe distance," Jay stammers, moving away so he's out of earshot, but not out of sight.

"So...what did you want to tell me?" he asks.

"I just wanted to tell you how brave you are for doing this, Aiden," I say, clasping my hands over his. He blushes from embarrassment.

"I-it's nothing really," he murmurs. "Anyone else c-could've done the same."

"It must be so hard having to testify in front of a jury, against someone who made your life hell for the past year."

He frowns.

"I…"

"Not to mention that this is probably the first time a domestic violence charge has been brought by a male against a female, albeit a rich one."

"Uh...I mean…"

"And then there's the chance that people may call you a liar or a weakling...or maybe...say that you _wanted_ this to happen."

Aiden's gone completely pale, his hands trembling.

"I...I, uh...I didn't…"

"Not to mention what this will mean for your reputation and your friends' no matter what happens."

"..." He's breathing shakily, sweat beading at his forehead.

"But I'm sure you know what you're doing, so...good luck!" I say. Aiden takes off in Jason's direction. Seconds later, Jason storms up to me.

"What the _hell_ did you say to him?" he demands.

"I only said he was brave for doing this and good luck. Not my fault he was nervous."

"Really? He was fine before I left him with you."

"Look, there's a lot at stake here. I just wanted to let him know that."

"We already knew that. If you're not going to help, then just go."

Jason angrily shakes his head and turns away with Aiden in tow. Hopefully, this'll be enough to convince Aiden not to testify.

Aiden's POV

"You'll be fine, just breathe...breathe," Jason says softly, his hand over my chest. "Don't worry, no one's gonna judge you."

Jay took me to a more secluded area away from the others. I'm just a few seconds away from a complete meltdown.

"T-they w-won't believe me." I want to curl up into the tiniest ball possible and bury myself underground.

"They will, baby. I promise they will."

"Is it too late to back out now?" I ask, lowering my head. I know, I sound pathetic. But after a month of waiting, the moment is here, and I don't think I'm ready. I don't want to let anyone down, but I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me.

"Aiden, look at me," he orders, cupping my face. I do as he says, looking into his piercing blue eyes. "If you don't bring her down now, we'll never have another chance to do so. And even if you can get away from her, that's just gonna make her do this to someone else. I know I'm asking a lot, but Rose needs you to do this. _I_ need you to do this. Please."

Tears silently streaking down my face, I nod slowly. Jay hugs me tightly, stroking my hair.

"Jay...I'm more scared than I've ever been before. Our lives are never going to be the same, regardless of the outcome."

"Yeah...but guess what?"

"What?"

"I'm gonna be right here with you."

"Ok...I'm ready to go in," I say somewhat firmly. Jay kisses me tenderly, then presses his forehead to mine. We stay like this for a while. He takes my hand and leads me inside. Uma is nowhere to be seen.

"You ok, Aiden?" Ace asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's do this," I say, squeezing Jason's hand.

"Prosecution calls Aiden Zhou to the stand," Ethan says. Taking a slow breath, I rise and approach the stand.

"Aiden Zhou, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God?"

"Yes. I do."

"Ok Aiden, when did your conflict with Jessica start?"

"Objection! I feel Mr. Blake has too close a relationship with his client to properly conduct a questioning. Being that he continuously thinks its ok to refer to his and my clients by their first names." Mr. Price is really grating on my nerves, and I can tell the judge feels the same way.

"Ok, you know what, ? You make another ridiculous objection and I'll hold you in contempt of court. Answer the question, Mr. Zhou," The judge says.

"It started...a few weeks after Jessica and I started dating. I made the mistake of mentioning my ex girlfriend Rose a few times. One day she snapped and slapped me hard in the face. It only got worse from there. Hitting, kicking, slapping...I tended to hide my bruises well because I usually wore long sleeved shirts anyway, but the day Rose found out, I was quite careless. I always thought I'd leave her and be done forever...but everytime I found myself going back to her, thinking that somehow, someway, she loved me. Obviously I know that's not true now."

"Can you describe the latest attack?"

"Y-yeah...She faked my then boyfriend's death so she could kidnap me and my friends. Then she tried to get my parents to sign a contract to make me engaged to her by drugging me. It was hard to tell between reality and delusion for a few hours before I was healed. At some point, she cornered me. She grabbed my arm hard. We heard police sirens. Her grip tightened. I called for help That's when she tried to strangle me...again. I struggled to breathe, like I was forcibly being held underwater. If it wasn't for my friends showing up when they did, I don't know what could've happened to me. I still have the bruises from it."

Ethan asks me to lower my shirt collar a little. I do so, wincing a little. The jury collectively moans and winces at the sight. It must look even worse than I thought. Ethan asks me a few more questions about my history with Jessica before taking his seat. Mr. Price approaches. I make eye contact with Jason.

" _Remember us_ ," he mouths. I feel comforted by this and sit up a little straighter.

"Mr. Zhou, when you say that my client strangled you, you said this was after you were allegedly drugged, correct?"

"Yeah."

"If she supposedly did drug you, how were you sure you were being choked and not hallucinating?"

"Because I could feel it. I felt her fingers wrapped around my neck, how they pressed into my throat, preventing me from breathing. I was panicking, not sure if she intended to kill me or not."

"And why didn't you fight back? My client is 5'3. You are 5'5"."

"I'd like to see you try to fight back with your arms and legs pinned down."

A few members of the jury chuckle. Mr. Price turns red.

"Well, if things were so bad as you claim, why did you stay with my client for a year?"

"Well...I thought I loved her. And well, she threatened to hurt people that I cared about if I tried to leave her."

"Then what's this about my client offering to get you enrolled in the prestigious Juilliard?"

"Well, that was part of the reason as well. My dreams were just ahead of me, and she really had the power to do it. But even Juilliard wasn't enough to convince me to stay after I caught her cheating on me."

"Zhou, how do we know you're telling the truth and not being bribed again?"

" _ **Because my boyfriend almost died because of her!**_ " My voice reverberates around the courtroom. "She outed him to the entire town and got beat up so badly I wasn't sure he'd make it. That day, when those men attacked him, I held his limp body in my hands. I feared that I'd never again see those electric blue eyes of his...that I'd have to go back to…"

I can't finish my last sentence. The lump in my throat is too painful.

"Uh...no further questions your honor," Mr. Price mutters. The judge lets me leave the courtroom. Jason follows suit.

"You did it, baby," he whispers, hugging me from behind.

"I just hope it was the right thing to do," I say. "Jay...I honestly thought I lost you that day. I thought I was the reason you died because I didn't do anything to help you."

"I lost my head. I knew picking a fight with those idiots would lead to trouble. At least I know how much you care."

"Duh. I always did. You were just being ridiculous yesterday."

"I know."

"Do we have to stay here until after Jessica's testimony?" I ask. "At this point I could really use a nap."

Jay laughs.

"Ethan will call us back when it's time for the verdict, so I guess we can relax on the park bench for now.

We walk outside toward the park and find a bench. I lean back into the comfort of Jay's body and drift off to sleep.

Although I could swear I saw two blurred figures, one red and one blue, race by before I do.


	30. Never Again

**WARNING: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH AHEAD.** **BlackCanary98: I'm sure Aiden would appreciate knowing that you're rooting for him, especially considering how hard it was to get him to testify.**

Ava's POV

I must look ridiculous right now. I ripped off a piece of the bedpost still attached to my arm and found my clothes. And I'm chasing Uma through the park.

"Uma, wait!" I yell. "I just want to talk!"

Uma doesn't respond, weaving in and out of the area.

I finally have her cornered around the courthouse. I put my arms on either side of her. She looks up at me, her grey eyes like a deer in headlights.

"Y-you look pretty," she stammers.

"Uma," I pant. "Just tell me the truth. Why'd you do it?"

"Avie...I was just trying to protect you. She threatened to have something bad happen to you if Aiden won."

"Oh, Uma. You know I can handle myself," I sigh.

"Well, you know how I said I fell?" She says. "Well, we fought in the parking lot. Avie, I've seen what she's done to Aiden. I could never let it happen to you."

"Hun, it's sweet how you're looking out for me...but do you realize you nearly ruined the case. Look, I'm gonna be fine. Nothing scares me anymore. I...I'm too broken anyways."

"Ava...what are you talking about?"

"My mother left us when I was freaking 14. Then...after I nearly sent Ace to Manilla...my brother and father were supposed to help me execute the plan.Then when Rose jinxed things and threw herself in the mix of things. My family deserted me when things went bad. They went to France. They only called me once, to tell me never to contact them again."

I realize I'm shaking with anger that I hadn't felt before. I've basically been invisible to my own damn family for years.

"Ava, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine! It's just...if I can handle being abandoned by the people that are supposed to care about me...nothing really bothers me anymore."

"Well, in that case, Ava. There's something I have to tell you, and you might not like it."

"What?" I ask in exasperation.

"You know that night we first met? Well, meeting you was intentional. I...I was sent by Jessica to distract you so she could get on with her plan at Ace's party. She knew you were dangerous, so she needed you out of the way."

"So...the dance, the date, everything...was a lie...just so you could distract me?"

"At first it was, but then I really started to develop feelings for you…I thought Jessica was...different. Like she'd never turn on her own cousin. I thought her behavior was just about her chasing some boy."

"Ava, I'm so sorry, I-"

She tries to reach out for my arm but I jerk back.

"Don't touch me. I should've known something was off from the start. You're no better than the rest of your worthless family," I hiss, turning away from her and running inside the courtroom. I must have missed Aiden and Jessica's testimony. Ethan's giving the closing statements now.

"...after a year of being forced into silence, a male young enough to be anyone in the jury's son has finally come forward. It is up to the jury to make sure his cry for help doesn't go unheard. Thank you."

The jury leaves to discuss the verdict. Rose turns to me and hugs me.

"Ava, I was so worried! What happened?"

"I...I don't want to talk about it. How'd the trial go?"

"Jessica looked like a total ass after Aiden testified. I think we're gonna win."

"I hope so," I say, looking at Jason carrying his sleeping fiance into the courtroom on his back. "Poor kid's been through a lot."

"What do you mean?"

I pull some files out of my bag. It's all the stuff Uma tried to shred. Thankfully, she forgot to turn it on.

"Because Uma trapped me and tried to destroy this," I say, handing her the files. Rose gasps.

"Gosh, this even worse than what Aiden described," she whispers. "Where is she?"

"I don't know and I don't care. Turns out...our relationship was a sham."

"Oh, Ava…"

"It's fine, I should have seen it coming from the moment I met her and found out who she was related to."

Rose and I fall silent. We spend the next few hours hiding our time until the judge and jury return.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" The judge asks.

"We have, your honor," one juror says. On the charge of domestic violence, we find the defendant, Jessica Nguyen...guilty. On the 3 counts of attempted murder 1 we find the defendant guilty...on the charge of harassment we find the defendant guilty."

Huh, the charges kept coming and coming. Damn. The judge dismisses us. No sooner than that we all start cheering.

"It's finally over," Wes sighs in relief.

"She won't be coming out for a very long time," Ace adds.

"Baby, wake up. We won," Jay says softly, stroking Aiden's hair.

"Really?" Aiden asks, a small smile pulling at his lips. "Great…"

For the first time, I see Aiden completely relax. Jay sends him down on the ground and holds his hands. They stand face to face. Aiden kisses him fervently.

"I think this moment's been a long time coming," Jay says, stroking his cheek.

"Jason, you're shaking. Are you alright?"

"Yes...it's just...it kinda sucks how I don't have a ring for this."

"W-what are you saying?"

Jason takes one of Aiden's hands and gets down on one knee. Aiden gasps, happy tears welling in his eyes.

"I knew from the moment we danced together that I wanted you and only you. You really bring out the best in me and I want to make it official and be your husband in the future. If you'll let me, Aiden Zhou...will you mar-"

BANG!

A loud gunshot interrupts him. I expect one of them to collapse on the ground but I hear a body hit the ground. I whirl around, and see Uma lying on the pavement in a pool of blood. Up ahead, I see Jessica wielding a gun. Where the hell did she get it from? But then I see the look on her lawyer's face and it's all too clear. She points it at me.

"Sorry to interrupt your little proposal, Jayda, but I'm really not sorry. It's too bad Uma couldn't follow damn directions and now she has to pay the price for it. But hey, she took a bullet for you. That must show she still cares. Now hold still and I'll make this quick."

"Jessica, stop!" Aiden cries out. "It's over. You don't have to do this."

"You ruined everything," Jessica hisses. "I warned you what would happen if you went against me. All you had to do was simply stay my boyfriend and you could've had anything you wanted just handed to you. But nooooo! You couldn't handle the pressure, could you? You just had to go running to your pathetic friends. And to think I loved you."

She pouts.

"You...you never did love me.Not from the beginning, not now. I was just a pawn to you for your own selfish gain. Why did you do it, Jessica? Why did you feel the need to hurt me so badly?" Aiden asks as Jay wraps his arms protectively around him. While she's distracted, I make my way over to Uma.

"Uma...say something," I whisper softly. Yes I waas mad at her, but I didn't want her dead…Uma groans and rolls over on her back. I see the gaping bullet hole piece through her chest.

"T-this is what I was trying to avoid," she croaks, her voice even quieter than normal. "A-avie, don't freak out, but I think I'm dying. It's so cold…"

"N-no! Don't say that Uma...please," I choke. "Don't you dare die on me…"

She gently places her hand on my cheek.

"Avie...everyone hates me. I think it's best if-"

"NO!"

"Ava, I don't have much time left."

"So...this is how it ends...me finding out you faked your feelings for me and now you're gonna just die on me…"

"Ava, I did this for you. You deserve a second chance." Her eyes cloud. "You were right about me. I am just like my family. But at least...I can be...on the right side...for...once. I love you, Ava...and don't you ever forget that…"

She goes limp.

"Uma….you damn idiot," I sob.

Aiden's POV

I watch Ava crading Uma in her arms. Tears are streaming down her face. I think this might be the first time I've seen Ava openly cry.

"Oh my god…." I barely get the words out. 'She...she…"

"You...you killed her!" Ace snaps. "Have you no shame?!"

Jessica says nothing except get into a stance and lunge at me. Thankfully, Jason moves me out of the way and she stumbles into the incoming traffic. She looks at me with full malice...and yanks me into the street with her.

"Let him go!" Jason yells after her. She locks her arm around my throat in a chokehold.

"I'm not going down alive. If I can't have Aiden, no one will!" she screeches. She's pulling me towards an incoming bus.

"Jessica, please stop! Let me go!'

"Why couldn't you have let my plan work!?"

"What we had wasn't healthy. I had to leave. And now...someone is dead because of you. You want to make everyone else suffer but deep down you suffer the most! All these expectations to find a perfect suitor, not to mention someone who was willing to love you for you...it was too much. But this isn't the answer, Jessica. You have to end this!"

"That's it? You're not gonna fight me or anything," she challenges, as we grapple amidst the speeding traffic.

"I don't want to fight you! I want to go back to the way things were."

"Aiden, you poor, naive fool. Things can never go back the way they were. And no matter what happens, I'll never leave you. I'll always have a piece of you, like it or not."

I wrench away from her grasp, sending us both sprawling in opposite directions. Jason manages to safely scoop me up out of harm's way. He hold me close, stroking my hair.

"Thank God…" he breathes. All of a sudden we hear a sickening crash. Jason winces, then turns my head completely into his body.

"Damn...I don't think she survived that…" I hear someone mutter quietly. I dare to look up at Jay.

"This is not your fault, baby," he tells me. "She'll never hurt you again. Let's get you home. I think we've had quite a day."


	31. Epilogue

**BlackCanary98: Well Jessica's definetely dead after that car accident. I've heard that a person can be revived after death if done within a certain amount of time, so as of now, Uma's status is unknown. You'll get to see Jason propose to Aiden, just not in this fic.** Jason's POV

Everyone is silent in the limo. Rose took Ava home with her. The rest are with us. Aiden's shivering the whole time. I try rubbing his back to calm him down. It works a little. I can't decide if I'm mad at Jessica for ruining my proposal or glad that she's gone. But poor Uma...she was just trying to protect someone she cared about, however misguided it was. I just wish I hadn't snapped at her when I did.

"She...she's gone?" Aiden says softly.

"Well, looking at that accident, I doubt she survived. All that matters now is that you're safe," I tell him, tenderly nuzzling his neck.

"I didn't mean to push her."

"Sweetheart...it's not your fault. She tried to kill you...again. The police are split between ruling her death an accident or suicide. They know you were trying to get away from her."

"I know...I'm feeling a lot of emotions right now."

"Like what?"

"I don't know...anger, sadness, anxiety...all rolled into one.I can't believe I let her do this to all of us."

"You couldn't have known. Come here," I say, pulling him into my arms. "You alright?"

"Will I?"

"...time will tell."

At this point I'm glad I covered Aiden's face when the bus hit Jessica. I don't think he needs any more nightmare fuel.

"Jay?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't go," he says, holding on to me a little tighter.

"Never," I tell him. The limo pulls up in front of his home. "Want me to carry you inside?"

A hint of a smile plays on his lips and he nods. We say goodbye to the others and head inside. His mother greets us at the door.

"I heard about what happened," she says. "Are you both ok?"

"I'm fine, no need to worry. It's Aiden I'm concerned about."

"You're both part of the family now. Especially since you two are, you know, engaged."

"Heh, yeah," I trail off. It took a lot of nerve to try to propose to Aiden the first time, albeit without a ring. I have to make sure the next time it's perfect for him. I squeeze Aiden's hands. He puts his head on my shoulder.

"Mom, I'm kinda hungry. Can we make some lunch?" Aiden asks.

"I think you two should get some rest. I'll bring it up to you," she offers, letting us head upstairs. "And by rest I mean actual rest!"

"Mom…" Aiden groans softly, his face a bit pinker than normal. He closes the door behind him.

"So...we won, huh?"

"Yeah, but at what cost?"

"I know, baby. But I'm so glad you're safe," I reply. He pulls off his shirt, grimacing at the wounds on his body.

"She's gone, but my scars are still here," he mutters, rubbing his arms self consciously. I wrap my arms around him, hugging him from behind.

"If it makes you feel any better, in 7 years every last cell of yours will be replaced, meaning that you'll have a body she's never touched," I tell him. "Just think about the future. Your future."

"Our future," he corrects, smiling slightly and kissing tenderly.

Rose's POV

"Ava, they're trying everything they can to revive her-"

"Rose...she was shot in the chest. Even if by some small miracle they can bring her back, thing's are never gonna be the same again between us. She's been lying to me from the start and now…"

A strangled gasp gets caught in her throat, her body racking with sobs. Her fingers clutch the hem of her shirt tight.

"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

"I don't know! I feel like I hate her, I love her...I miss her. She was the first girl I actually said I love you to. I don't even know if she felt the same at all."

"She was willing to die for you, that has to mean something."

"...I...I think I need some space."

"Of course, Ava. You can stay in your room as long as-"

"No...I mean I need to get out of here for a while...I don't know when...if I'll be back...Don't try to follow me, Rose."

She gives me a tight hug and tells me to take care before walking out the door.

"Ava, wait!" I call after her, but the door slams shut behind her. I just hope she'll be ok wherever she's going.

"Rosebud?" I hear my brother's voice from behind me. I whirl around, and there he is, completely unscathed.

"Roscoe?!"

"I heard about what happened, are you ok, Little R?" he asks, rushing forward and scooping me up in a large hug.

"Me? I thought you were shot!"

"At. I was shot at. They missed me, but I guess the newspapers messed up that little fact. I've been looking all over for you since you went missing a month ago."

"Well, I didn't mean to worry you."

"To be honest, I didn't have a right to be. I missed a pretty good chunk of your life. Now you're 16, almost a senior...with pink hair…. and you have your first boyfriend," he chuckles, elbowing me.

"Uh...second boyfriend, Ross."

"Right...right."

"So, what did you and Addison name your daughter?" I ask.

"Well, we decided on Alice Rosaline Brinkwater."

"Breaking tradition? Scandalous!" I gasp playfully, knowing that Roscoe and his family all had first names that started with the letter R.

"Addi and I compromised. She got to give the first name and I could give the middle name. I'll still call her Rosaline, though."

We laugh, something we hadn't done together in years.

"I'm really glad you came back, Roscoe," I say quietly. "My friend...she…"

"I know, I heard. Look, we don't have to go back to Hollywood until after the wedding...which isn't until next year. So I'm here if you need me. For real, this time."

"It'll take some time to adjust… but ok," I agree, giving him a hug. Wherever Ava's headed, I hope she doesn't run into any trouble. I'm just glad to have my big brother back.

Later that night, I FaceTime Ace. He grins when his face appears on my screen.

"Missed me already, gorgeous?" He teases.

"Hmm...Let me think," I pretend to wonder. He laughs, a real laugh for once.

"Aiden's really lucky to have a friend like you. And I'm so lucky to have such an awesome girlfriend."

"Aww...thanks, Ace. That means a lot."

"But seriously though, are you ok? You've been through a lot lately."

"We all have. I'm just glad we could put a stop to it before it was too late."

"How's Ava?"

"She...uh...She left suddenly, saying she needed to clear her head. I hope she'll be ok."

"Seeing her girlfriend die like that must've broken her. I think she'll come back after a few days...or weeks. She's a tough girl."

"If you say so...Ace, we'll have to face my classmates when we go back to school tomorrow."

"Rosie, I'm gonna be with you the whole way. I promise. Love you."

"Love you too, Ace."

With that I hang up and drift off to sleep. Tomorrow I'll link hands with my boyfriend and head back in, better than ever.

Lakeside High school won't know what hit them.

 **And that's the end of Bitter Victory. Thanks for sticking with the story for so long! The next fic I'm working on,** ** _Pheonix_ , will be set 11 months after the events of Frosty Connections and Bitter Victory. Some key details about the upcoming fic**

 **1\. Ava hasn't come home**

 **2\. Uma has seemingly disappered from existence (as in, there is no grave for her, leading to suspicions arising about whether she really died that day)**

 **3\. Jason tries to juggle running the glee club, a new and flirty member who can't take a hint, and finding a way to make his proposal to Aiden special.**

 **4\. Rose and her old friends have drifter apart, everyone still feeling guilty about last year.**

 **5\. Aiden deals with Julliard auditions and bouts of depression and nightmares.**

 **6\. Ace and Rose are reinstated in their positions. Ace is colder and more distant towards his classmates, even as he continues to fulfil his duty.**

 **7\. PROM!!!**

 **8\. Rose uncovers a shocling secret about her past prior to her adoption.**

 **9\. Jason's parents continue to try to convince him that his transition was a phase and that he needed to leave Aiden and come home. This infuriates Jason to no end.**

 **10\. The next main antagonist is male.**

 **I expect _Pheonix_ to be publidhed either this week or next week. I might have some free time after my AP exams Wednesday and Thursday.** **Bye!**


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